Government officials from Taipei and Manila reached consensus on implementing a notification mechanism and related procedures, information sharing, and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing at a recent one-day bilateral fisheries meeting in the Philippines. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides agreed to notify each other within four hours in the event of initiating a law enforcement action against a fishing boat from the respective countries. In addition, they will provide within 24 hours detailed information about the vessel, reasons for the action and supporting evidence. Concerning the rights of Taiwan fishermen to safely operate in waters claimed by the Philippines as its contiguous zones, the Taipei officials maintained that these areas are the country’s exclusive economic zones under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, and urged their Filipino counterparts not to seize Taiwan fishing boats.

Taiwan, PH make headway on fisheries cooperation. (2017, March 17). Manila Times, p. B6.