Japan to release Taiwanese vessel, crew after fishing violation

Taipei, July 29 (CNA) A Taiwanese fishing boat and its crew detained by Japan's Coast Guard since Sunday for illegally operating in Japanese waters are expected to be released soon after paying a fine, government authorities said on Monday.

The Yilan-registered "Fu Shen" (富申) fishing vessel was intercepted by a Japan Coast Guard vessel at 4:10 p.m. on Sunday after being suspected of operating inside Japan's territorial waters.

The location where the Taiwanese vessel was boarded by the Japanese coast guard was around 5 nautical miles beyond where Taiwan's fishing boats are allowed to operate in the East China Sea, according to Taiwan's Fisheries Agency.

The vessel itself, along with its captain and seven crew members, all of whom are Taiwanese nationals, were taken to Japan's Nara Port in Okinawa.

Following negotiations conducted by Taiwanese diplomats at Nara, the fishing vessel's owner was asked to pay a fine of 1.5 million Japanese yen (US$9,779).

After paying the fine, the vessel and its crew will be released and returned to Taiwan, the Fisheries Agency said in a press release.

The agency also called on Taiwanese fishing vessels to "not illegally enter and operate in other countries' waters or else face legal consequences."

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), meanwhile, confirmed that the vessel had been operating inside Japan's territorial waters; namely, within 12 nautical miles of the Japanese island of Yonaguni.

"(We are) closely monitoring the latest development of the incident and have pledged to offer all necessary assistance to the Taiwanese fishing vessel," MOFA said in a statement.

The incident marks the second time this month that a Taiwanese fishing vessel has been fined by Japanese authorities for illegally operating in Japan's territorial waters.

A previous incident happened this month on July 5 when a Keelung-registered fishing vessel, the "Fu Yang No. 266" (福洋266號), was intercepted by a Japanese Fisheries Agency vessel under suspicion of operating near Amami Oshima.

The vessel and its crew were released after the ship's owner in Taiwan paid a fine of around 6 million Japanese yen (US$37,203).

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