The Executive Yuan yesterday approved an ocean conservation bill that would empower regulators to designate maritime sanctuaries and establish sustainable use rules, the Ocean Affairs Council said.
The draft legislation is to go to the legislature for deliberation.
The bill says that regulatory authorities would be authorized to create maritime sanctuaries consisting of core, buffer and sustainable-use zones, subject to various levels of protection.
Photo: Liu Yu-ching, Taipei Times
The core zone of a maritime sanctuary — the highest level of protection possible — would be closed to all maritime activity other than speedy passage or for activities deemed necessary to national security or science.
Aquafarming, construction, laying sea cables, mining and other economic activities in buffer zones and sustainable use zones may be permitted with central and local regulatory approval.
The central government may designate a maritime sanctuary with the approval of an evaluation committee consisting of officials, experts and representatives of civil associations, while no more than half of the committee’s members can be government officials, the bill says.
Entering a core zone without permission would carry a fine of up to NT$500,000 (US$15,911), entering a buffer zone without permission would carry a penalty of up to NT$300,000 and entering a sustainable-use zone without permission would carry a fine of NT$15,000.
The bill is expected to pass the Legislative Yuan, as the council conducted extensive consultations with experts, environmental groups and government agencies to inform its writing, council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) told a post-Cabinet meeting news conference.
The legislation, if passed, would give regulators a mandate to designate sanctuaries, restrict maritime activities, conduct scientific research and set ocean conservation policies, in addition to boosting protections for whistle-blowers and the public’s right to sue polluters, Kuan said.
Also yesterday, the Executive Yuan approved amendments to the Distant Waters Fisheries Act (遠洋漁業條例) in a bid to stop imports of catches and seafood products from illegal, underreported and underregulated (IUU) fishing.
The proposed changes would empower regulators to impose a partial or total ban on seafood imports from nations or regions that engage in IUU fishing, Ministry of Agriculture officials told the news conference.
Importers that contravene the ban would face a fine of NT$6 million to NT$30 million, which is the same as the penalty for domestic IUU fishers, the officials said.
Taiwan is committed to fighting IUU fishing and upholding sustainable use of the sea in partnership with the international community, they said, adding that the amendments would help law-abiding fishers and importers.
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