Billfish Fishery of Taiwan 



H.C. HUANG 1 



ABSTRACT 



Billfish landings made by Taiwan fishing vessels from 1962 to 1971 were analyzed and described 

 briefly. Billfishes are commercially harvested in Taiwan by deep-sea and inshore longline fisheries and the 

 harpoon fishery. The important species caught include swordfish, striped marlin, blue marlin, black 

 marlin, and sailfish. The deep-sea longline fishery has developed rapidly since 1954 and the landings of 

 billfishes have increased accordingly. Fishing operations have covered the major fishing grounds of the 

 Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans. The inshore longline fishery still confines its activities to waters 

 around Taiwan; billfish landings made by this fishery fluctuate annually. 



Billfishes are commercially harvested in Taiwan 

 by the deep-sea and inshore fisheries. In the deep- 

 sea fishery, the longline is used exclusively to catch 

 tunas, as well as billfishes. The principal gears used 

 in the inshore fisheries to take tunas, billfishes, and 

 other large pelagic fishes are the longline and har- 

 poon. Gill nets and set nets are also used occasion- 

 ally to capture billfishes that enter the coastal and 

 inshore waters of Taiwan. Longline fishing was in- 

 troduced in Taiwan by Japanese fishermen in 1913. 

 For many years after its introduction longlining was 

 limited to the coastal and offshore waters of 

 Taiwan. From 1913 until 1954. the fleet consisted 

 mostly of vessels of less than 50 tons. Since 1954, 

 the size of the fleet, as well as the average tonnage 

 of vessels, has increased rapidly. Vessels over 50 

 tons, classified as ""deep-sea longliners" by the 

 Taiwan Fisheries Bureau, have expanded their op- 

 erations from the traditional waters off Taiwan to 

 waters as far distant as the Indian. South Pacific, 

 and Atlantic Oceans. Vessels of less than 50 tons, 

 classified as "inshore longliners," still remain in the 

 offshore waters around Taiwan. 



In 1962. there were only 42 deep-sea longliners 

 totaling 6.634 gross tons in Taiwan, but by 1971 the 

 fleet had increased to 457 vessels and totaled 99,217 

 gross tons. In order to meet the practical require- 

 ments of fishing in distant waters, many foreign 

 ports located close to the important fishing grounds 



'Taiwan Fisheries Bureau, 8. 1st Section. Chung Hsiao East 

 Road. Taipei. Taiwan. 



have been used since 1954 as overseas supply bases 

 for the longliners. At these overseas bases the long- 

 liners are able to replenish supplies, effect repairs, 

 and sell the fish catch locally or transship it for 

 export. The tremendous development of this deep- 

 sea fishery is attributed to the growing profit of the 

 industry, as well as the encouragement given by the 

 government. 



The inshore longline fishery has contained be- 

 tween 600 and 800 vessels since 1962. The vessels 

 range in size from 5 to 50 tons, with the most typical 

 size at about 30 tons. From time to time, the inshore 

 longline fleet shifts from one fishery to another. 



The harpoon fishery for billfishes was introduced 

 in Kao-hsiung, a southern port of Taiwan, by the 

 Japanese in 1913. Later, the fishery gradually ex- 

 panded from Kao-hsiung along the east coast of 

 Taiwan to Keelung in the north, and the fishery 

 covered the whole of the Kuroshio Current area 

 near Taiwan. The harpoon fishery has been limited 

 to waters about 30 miles from home port and the 

 fleet has kept its size between 150 and 350 vessels 

 from 1962 to 1971. 



SPECIES OF BILLFISHES 



The principal species of billfishes exploited by 

 the Taiwan fisheries include: 

 1. Swordfish. Xiphias gladius. 



In Chinese the swordfish is called "Chien Ch"i 



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