Taiwan’s ‘yellow card’ could be lifted soon: EU rep

Posted By Stop Illegal Fishing:19th Oct, 2018: EU carding

Taipei, Oct. 19 (CNA) The top European Union (EU) representative to Taiwan is “cautiously optimistic” that the EU could soon lift the “yellow card” it issued against Taiwan in 2015 for its lack of cooperation in fighting illegal fishing, she said Friday.

The EU placed Taiwan on its watch list for insufficient cooperation in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in October 2015.

Since then, EU officials have visited the country every six months to see how the issues are being addressed, and the latest week-long inspection trip concluded on Oct. 12.

Asked about the latest inspection, Madeleine Majorenko, head of the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO), told reporters Friday that the inspectors were quite satisfied with what they saw in Taiwan.

“They were very positive about what they have seen in terms of how the Fisheries Agency has taken the steps to improve the situation as regards to the protection of fish stocks,” she said.

EU inspectors also underlined the need, however, for Taiwan’s government to better protect fishermen’s rights, at a time when local and international human rights groups have called for action to prevent abuses of migrant fishermen.

Nonetheless, the issue on whether to lift the yellow card has been taken back to EU headquarters in Brussels for further discussion, she said.

“We have never been in that position before…So this is a positive thing, I am personally cautiously optimistic (over lifting the yellow card in coming months,)” she said.

Asked if the lifting could take place before the end of this year, Majorenko said, “I would think so.”

Source: Focus Taiwan

Recent Posts

16th Meeting of the SADC Regional Technical Team for the SADC MCSCC

Mbabane, Kingdom of Eswatini 04-06 March 2024 The 16th meeting of the SADC Regional...

Read More...

Angolan Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources committed to end IUU fishing

On 20 February 2024 in Luanda, the Angolan Minister for Fisheries and Marine...

Read More...

Durban fisheries officers call for systematic interagency cooperation to fight IUU fishing

From 30 January to 02 February 2024, SIF and the MCSCC went to...

Read More...

FCWC West Africa Task Force held fifteenth Regional Meeting in Cote d’Ivoire.

The West Africa Task Force (WATF) of the Fisheries Committee for the West...

Read More...

SIF News Categories

The Issues

One in four fish in Africa is caught illegally, this threatens the sustainability of fish stocks, damages the ecosystem and deprives governments of income and people of livelihoods.

Find Out More...

Our Approach

Creating change by informing policy and practice, our hands on experience and investigative work means we are often the first to spot new trends and find ways to challenge these.

Read More...

Our Initiatives

Illegal fishing is a complex issue that requires multifaceted responses. Stop Illegal Fishing are working with a range of organisations to bring about change.

Find Out More...

Recent Posts

16th Meeting of the SADC Regional Technical Team for the SADC MCSCC

Mbabane, Kingdom of Eswatini 04-06 March 2024 The 16th meeting of the SADC Regional...

Read More...

Angolan Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources committed to end IUU fishing

On 20 February 2024 in Luanda, the Angolan Minister for Fisheries and Marine...

Read More...

Durban fisheries officers call for systematic interagency cooperation to fight IUU fishing

From 30 January to 02 February 2024, SIF and the MCSCC went to...

Read More...