May 8, 2015
No. 089
MOFA and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines have been providing assistance with regard to the Philippine’s detainment of Sheng Feng No. 12, a fishing boat registered in Liuqui Township, Pingtung County. TECO staff arrived in Basco, capital of Batanes province, May 8 to express the government’s concern and inquire into the treatment of the crew.
After learning of the incident, MOFA and TECO in the Philippines immediately expressed strong concern to the Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei. MOFA has called on the Philippine government to treat the detained fishermen appropriately and handle the matter in accordance with the spirit and consensus reached through the three rounds of Taiwan-Philippines fisheries talks. The crew and boat are safe, and the crew’s communications are not restricted. The Philippine authorities informed their Taiwan counterparts of the incident through the bilateral cooperation mechanism on law enforcement in fisheries matters. In the process of detaining the boat, the Philippines refrained from using violence or force.
In light of Typhoon Noul’s imminent arrival, TECO in the Philippines helped secure a loan of PHP90,000 (NT$61,000) as bail for the crew so they can move to a safer location. The Batanes provincial government also agreed to let the vessel be relocated to safer waters.
Sheng Feng No. 12 was boarded by personnel from a Philippine government vessel in waters at 21 degrees 3 minutes north latitude, 122 degrees 2 minutes east longitude (six nautical miles southeast of the Philippine island of Y’ami). The ROC government always strives to protect the rights of Taiwan fishermen to legal fishing operations and calls on ROC fishing boats to obey all related laws so as to avoid legal complications and financial losses. (E)