Captain of boat caught for illegal fishing returns to Taiwan after being punished in accordance with law: spokesperson

The captain, surnamed Hong, of the Tachinman 88, a Taiwan fishing vessel, which was legally seized by the Fujian Coast Guard on July 2, returned to Taiwan island on Friday after being punished in accordance with the law, said Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office.

The Tachinman 88 was seized for violating Fisheries Law and other relevant regulations by conducting operations in the prohibited fishing zone during the fishing moratorium period, and the bottom trawl it used was much smaller than the minimum mesh size stipulated by relevant departments, according to Chen.

The Fujian Coast Guard carried out law enforcement actions in accordance with the law, and relevant departments handled the case in accordance with regulations, effectively maintaining the order of fishery production, marine fishery resources, and ecological environment in the relevant sea areas, Chen said.