Catch (Thousands of Metric Tons) 



1980 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 

 Source: Fisheries Yeafbook-Tatwan Area. Taiwan Fishettes Bureau. 1960-91. 



 Total 

 S Total Tuna 

 S Total Trawler 

 0Tuna Longliners 

 CD Purse Seiners 

 DBuII Trawl 

 □ otter Trawl 

 LJDrlftnet Vessels 

 CZl Squid Jigging 

 EZ Others 



Figure 2. Taman. Distant-waler fisheries calch, by type of vessel: 19KI). 1985-91. 



There are varying estimates of the number of 

 Taiwan distant-water squid jiggers. According to 

 Infofish, the number of Taiwan jiggers operating in the 

 southwest Atlantic may be as high as 132, but Taiwan 

 vessel statistics state there were 99 jiggers in 1991 

 (appendix B). The jigging vessels average 700GRT and 

 are manned by 18-20 person crews. Taiwan jiggers 

 are multi-gear vessels which, until the 1992 driftnet 

 moratorium, fished in tlie southwest Atlantic from 

 February to June, and then moved to the North Pacific 

 for driftnet fishing. With the driftnet moratorium, 

 these vessels may fish for saury in tlie soutliwest 

 Atlantic from June onwards, or move to tlie Indian 

 Ocean for tuna longlining. 



C. Driftnet Vessels 



The number of Taiwan driftnet vessels fishing in 

 the North Pacific and Indian Oceans totaled 221 in 

 1991, and decreased to 95 in 1992\ the final year of the 

 driftnet fishery.'" In addition to squid, these vessels 

 targeted albacore tuna, swordfish, and shark. Squid 

 was the primary target species in tlie North Pacific 

 fishery conducted between May and October, and 

 highly migratory species were tlie primary target 

 species in the Indian Ocean fishery conducted between 

 November and March. The smallest Taiwan driftnet 

 vessels were 100-I99GRT class, with most 



driftnet vessels ranging from 200-399 gross registered 

 tons. 



Following tlie United Nations General Assembly 

 (UNGA) Resolution No. 44/225 on large-scale pelagic 

 driftnet fishing, adopted on December 22, 1989, and 

 the follow-up resolution No. 46/215, which established 

 a driftnet fishing moratorium effective January 1, 1993, 

 Taiwan officials took steps to reduce the high-seas 

 driftnet fleet by 50 percent before June 30, 1992, and 

 to impose the UNGA moratorium by December 31, 

 1992. 



In July 1991, Taiwan officials introduced the 

 following measures aimed at reducing the driftnet fleet 

 size and encouraging conversion to alternative fishing 

 methods; 



1) priority buy-back of driftnet vessels at $480 

 per GRT, with a maximum compensation of 

 $200,000 per vessel (1992/93 total budget is 

 $22.3 million), 



2) provision of low-interest loans to owners of 

 driftnet vessels less than 15 years old to 

 enable them to covert to alternative fishing 

 methods, with a maximum loan of $200,000 

 per vessel at an interest rate of 5.25 percent. 



123 



