Taiwan passes legislation on marine conservation

Taipei, July 13 (CNA) The Legislative Yuan on Friday passed a conservation law aimed at improving the protection of marine ecosystems in Taiwan by designating areas to be protected.

Under the new marine conservation act, the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) is authorized to form an advisory committee composed of academics, conservationists, fishers and Indigenous Taiwanese, with the latter two groups making up at least one-third of its members.

The committee's role would be to plan and review the designation of marine conservation areas, which would have core and buffer zones, with each subject to distinct rules and regulations.

For a conservation area to be established, two-thirds of the committee members would have to vote in favor of it, and a majority of members must be present at the time of voting.

According to the bill, core zones will be closed to all civilian maritime traffic under this act, and those caught entering the area and refusing to obey orders to leave could be fined between NT$50,000 (US$1,537) and NT$500,000.

However, people who mistakenly enter a core zone and leave after an initial warning would not be fined. If they return within two years, however, the penalty will apply.

Meanwhile, military vessels carrying out operations or patrols related to national security or defense will be able to enter the core zone, as will ships involved in search and rescue, scientific research and other activities.

In terms of buffer zones, activities including aquaculture, the harvesting of marine organisms and construction of marine projects could be allowed upon government approval, but those caught without permission to carry out such activities would be fined between NT$30,000 and NT$300,000, the bill said.

Activities that are essential for Indigenous cultures or rituals would not be subjected to the restrictions in buffer zones, it added.

The act stipulates that the overall policy guidelines for the management of marine conservation areas will be formulated by the OAC in consultation with other relevant agencies, and then submitted to the Executive Yuan for approval.

According to OAC Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲), the designation of marine conservation areas and related restrictions will take into account the interests of fishers, Indigenous Taiwanese and others alike.