Taiwanese captain released after boat intercepted by Japan

Tokyo, July 5 (CNA) A Taiwanese captain has been released after his Keelung-registered fishing vessel, the "Fu Yang No. 266," was intercepted by a Japanese Fisheries Agency vessel under suspicion of operating near Amami Oshima early Friday morning.

A spokesperson for Taiwan's representative office in Japan told CNA that the captain was released and returned to his fishing boat at around 7 p.m. local time, about 30 minutes after the ship's owner in Taiwan, surnamed Tsai (蔡), paid a fine of around 6 million Japanese yen (US$37,203).

According to officials with Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration, the fishing vessel was intercepted early Friday approximately 1.5 nautical miles past a "designated enforcement line" near Amami Oshima (located about 160 kilometers northeast of Okinawa) beyond which Taiwan's fishing boats are not allowed to operate.

The enforcement line is one of several negotiated by Taiwan and Japan to prevent Taiwanese and Japanese fishing boats from battling over the same fishing grounds.

The officials initially said two Taiwanese crew members, including the captain, were taken aboard the Japanese boat for questioning, while six other Indonesian fishers stayed on the Taiwanese fishing boat.

Later in the day, however, it was disclosed that only the captain remained on the Japanese vessel to assist with the investigation.

The Keelung Fishermen's Association said in the afternoon that Japanese authorities agreed to allow the fishing vessel and its crew to depart once the owner paid the 6.006 million yen fine.