Giant mouth sharks, great white sharks and elephant mackerel are officially banned, and the Fisheries Department reminds fishermen that if they accidentally catch it, they must put it back into the sea and fill out a notification form. Image source: Taiwan Fisheries Administration
(Mysterious Earth uux.cn report) According to the Environmental Information Center (special correspondent Liao Jinghui) great white sharks, elephant mackerel (also known as basking sharks) and giant mouth sharks and other large cartilaginous fish, the future can be safely close to the coast of Taiwan! The Fisheries Administration of the Taiwan Agricultural Commission announced on the 10th that three species, such as the great white shark, the elephant mackerel and the giant shark, are prohibited from fishing from now on, and the public should immediately return to the sea when they are accidentally caught, and take the initiative to inform the catch information when returning to hong Kong.
No-catch warrant on the road Accidental capture requires filling out a notice form
According to the Fisheries Department, the Great White Shark, the Mackerel and the Megalomanth Shark are large cartilaginous fish of global concern, although they are not the main economic catch objects of China's fishing vessels, in order to ensure that they are protected from fishing threats and to preserve marine biodiversity, they announced on the 10th that they amended the "Great White Shark And Megamouth Shark Catch Control Measures" to be included in the prohibited fishing object.
According to the Fisheries Department, the amendment adds that the fishing of great white sharks, elephant mackerel and megaloman sharks is prohibited when fishing vessels/rafts go out to sea; if accidentally caught, whether alive or dead, they should be immediately released back into the sea, and within one day after return to Hong Kong, fill in the "General Report on Accidental Catch of Great White Sharks, Elephant Mackerels and Megaloak Sharks", indicating the catch location (latitude and longitude coordinates), time, fishing method, full length and standard body length, and notify the Fisheries Department and the local fisheries authority by fax.
Those who are caught and not released in accordance with the regulations shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than 3 years, criminal detention or a fine of not more than NT$150,000 in accordance with the Fisheries Law; those who are notified in accordance with the regulations may be fined between 30,000 and 150,000 yuan in accordance with the same law. In addition, if there is a need for teaching or scientific research in China, it may be approved to fish for great white sharks, elephant mackerel and megamouth sharks for academic research.
The Fisheries Department calls on fishermen to cooperate with this policy and jointly follow the new norms to safeguard marine biodiversity.
Maritime Protection Department: Elephant fish are in a worrying situation and priority will be given to conservation
The ban on fishing issued by the Fisheries Department of the Committee of Agriculture under the Fisheries Law is undoubtedly to buy more time for scientific investigation for conservation. As for whether these three fish species should be classified as conservation species? Wu Jinglong, Deputy Director of the Maritime Protection Department, said that at present, the three species of fish, great white shark, elephant mackerel and megaloman shark, have been discussed in the expert group meeting of the Marine Wildlife Advisory Committee, of which the elephant fish is known to be in the most critical situation and is listed as a priority conservation object.
Wu Jinglong said that until the 1980s, elephant fish appeared in groups off the coast of Taiwan, and in recent years, it has only appeared sporadically, which may be related to the slow growth rate of individuals and the pressure of fishing and mixed harvesting. As for the megalomand shark and the great white shark, the scientific data is not enough to support the classification of conservation species, but it will continue to be monitored.
Reprinted from the "Environmental Information Center" website, this article is provided with domestic and foreign environmental education and environmental protection information by many experts, scholars and non-governmental groups, covering global change, greenhouse gas control, environmental protection, environmental pollution prevention, ecological conservation, energy conservation and energy efficiency, green buildings and other aspects. I hope to be able to speak for the mountains, forests, wetlands, oceans, and lands that do not have a vote.