Current state and prospects of deep-sea tuna fisheries in Taiwan

―The case study of T-enterprise―

Abstract

Deep-sea tuna longline fishing in Taiwan have expanded in order to participate in the Sashimi (raw served fish) tuna market in Japan. Tuna caught by Taiwanese fishing boats have pronounced tendency in increasing after 1990s. The Number of tuna fishing vessels also has the similar tendency in increasing from only 597 vessels (lOOtons or more) in 2000 to 683 vessels in 2003. Especially vessels, which are 500 tons or more, have been increasing among whole tuna long line vessels. Positioning of the Japanese market from the viewpoint of Taiwan can be clarified from ratio of export to Japan among the total export quantity and value. According to statistics in 2003, about 60% of tuna, in the quantity base, were exported to Japan. This ratio has sustained since 1995. The ratio, in the value, is much higher than quantity base and it is accounted for 80%. Though still 80% of export value is brought from Japanese market, this dependency has slightly decreased since 1995.

This study shows trends of tuna price in Japanese market, where Taiwanese vessels export as main destination. Then this study clarities the current situation and future problems on deep-sea tuna longline fishing in Taiwan on the basis of data from Taiwanese statistics and hearing investigations at TTA (Taiwan Deep Sea Tuna Boat owners and Exporters Association) and "T" enterprise in Kaohsiung City where is a base of Tuna Fisheries. "T" enterprise is a middle size in possessing number of vessels as an enterprise and the largest number in deep-sea purse seine fishing vessels, therefore,"T" enterprise is a good example to analyze the current Taiwanese deep-sea tuna fishing.

The problems of tuna fisheries of Taiwan can be summarized as following three points from the viewpoint of Japan. The first point is increasing the catch associated with growing export to Japan. Recently, Taiwan has been exporting tuna to Japan exceeding to the limit by the negotiated agreement.

The second point is an issue of the FOC (Flag-Of-Convenience) fishing boats. Concretely speaking, expansion of the number of fishing operations, by transferring the ship registration to a non-contracting party of a regional fisheries treaty, is derived from an intention to escape from the fish resource management. The last point is lack of recognition on resource management, concretely speaking; excess catch is made by the deep-sea purse seine fishery. Large amount of catch by the purse seine fishery mainly targeting bonito is driven by building 2000 tons large-scale vessels, and it became to serious. It is worth to point out the issue, which purse seine fishing boats may be followed by the FOC operations.