A Taiwan fishing vessel caught illegally fishing in Palau’s waters in late January 2015 was recently fined $100, 000, according to the Office of the President.
The vessel caught by Palau’s marine law authorities with assistance from the Project Eyes on the Seas was also caught with 304 shark carcasses and several hundred shark fins.
Even though Palau was the first to protect shark species in its waters by declaring and creating the world’s first shark sanctuary a few years back, the President’s Office notes that this penalty could have reached as high as $500,000 to $1,000,000 under the Palau National Marine Sanctuary initiative, if enacted.
The President’s office further stressed that this incident underscores threats that Palau face from foreign fishing vessels that refuse to comply the law. “It also highlights the importance of protecting our island nation’s waters through clear legislation…”, states the March 19th media release.
The Taiwanese longline fishing vessel named Shin Jyi Chyuu 33 was first identified in December 2014 through the Project Eyes on the Seas, a technology designed to help monitor, detect and respond to suspicious fishing activities around the globe.
This system was developed by Satellite Applications Catapult, a company established through a United Kingdom government initiative, and The Pew Charitable Trusts, a United States non-governmental organization.
The system has been online in Palau since its launch helping to deter illegal, unregulated and unlicensed fishing activities.
According to reports, the Shin Jyi Chyuu 33 was allowed to leave the Republic of Palau on March 17, 2015 following payment of the $100,000 fine.