Taiwan coast guard deploys elite unit for high-speed intercepts of Chinese speedboats

coast guard special task unit officers board fast-moving speedboat

May 17, 2023May 17, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment coast guard, fishing, Matsu Islands, Taiwan Coast Guard, Taiwan Strait

Taiwan’s National Coast Guard Administration has deployed a team of elite special forces equipped with high-speed assault boats to intercept Chinese poachers using speedboats to evade larger coast guard vessels around islands close to the coast of China. The Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch of the coast guard has dispatched the Special Task Unit to Dongyin Island, Taiwan’s northernmost territory, to combat an expected influx of Chinese poachers during the summer season. Fish poachers from the coast of China usually take advantage of

When Worlds Collide: A Formosan Black Bear's Deadly Dance with Civilization movie poster

Animals Environment

May 9, 2023May 9, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Formosan black bear, Taiwan films and movies

A documentary film about a Formosan black bear that was rescued from animal traps multiple times before finally being fatally shot by hunters won the Gold Award in the Documentary Feature Film category of the 56th Houston Film Festival, and is available to be watched for free on multiple platforms. The film documents the life of a bear dubbed 711/568 by wildlife researchers, beginning with the animal being rescued from a wire snare in the mountains of Taitung County, October

Marine and Fisheries

April 13, 2023April 13, 2023 Phillip Charlier 3 Comments fishing industry, Port of Su'ao, Senkaku-Diaoyutai, tuna

The first tuna of the 2023 season at the Port of Su’ao weighed in at 320 kilograms, breaking an all time record for first catch of the year, and a 10-year seasonal record. The 267-centimeter long bluefin was caught by the Zai Fa No.68 near the Diaoyutai (Senkaku) Islands in waters covered by the Taiwan-Japan Fisheries Agreement. The captain of the Zai Fa No.68 reported the catch at 8:00 am Tuesday, April 11, estimating its weight at 190 kilograms. However,

Hyundai Tokyo approaches wharf at Port of Kaohsiung before collision

Marine and Fisheries

March 21, 2023March 21, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Port of Kaohsiung, shipping accident

A 74,651-ton container ship was seen approaching a wharf pier bow-first at an angle of 90 degrees before colliding with the steel-reinforced concrete structure at the Port of Kaohsiung yesterday, Monday, March 20. According to the Maritime and Port Bureau, the Cyprus-flagged Hyundai Tokyo (IMO: 9305673, MMSI 212347000) crashed into Pier 77 at 9:05 am, causing damage to the dock and quay wall. The port controller had noticed that the speed of the ship was too fast and sent a

Marine and Fisheries

March 3, 2023March 3, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment fishing, marine search and rescue, shipping accident

A Taiwanese fishing boat reported missing February 23 has been found overturned in waters off Mauritius, but divers found no sign of crew, according to media reports Thursday, March 2. Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture Fisheries Agency received confirmation from Mauritian authorities that the Kaohsiung-registered Lien Sheng Fa was located 490 nautical miles northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius. Mauritian search and rescue personnel reached the vessel at 6:00 am yesterday, March 2, and divers conducted an underwater examination of the boat,

Marine and Fisheries

November 2, 2022November 2, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment marine search and rescue, ship-sinking, shipping accident, Taiwan Strait

An air and sea search for 12 missing Indonesian crew members continues today after two empty lifeboats from the sunken vessel were found yesterday with no signs of life on board. The crew of 17 Indonesian nationals from the cement carrier Xing Shun No.1 abandoned ship in heavy seas at around 3:00pm, October 31, as the stricken vessel began to list and water began to flood the hold. Taiwan’s National Coast Guard Administration dispatched the 100-ton patrol ship Hsinchu to

the cement carrier Xing Shun No. 1 adrift in heavy seas off Taiwan's southwest coast

Marine and Fisheries

November 1, 2022November 1, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment marine search and rescue, ship-sinking, shipping accident

Five members of a ship’s crew were rescued, but 12 are missing, after a bulk carrier sank off Taiwan’s southwest coast last night, October 31. The 10,000 ton cement carrier Xing Shun No.1 first encountered problems on October 30 when three crew members were injured after a wave swept over the deck when the ship was located 50 nautical miles west of the Port of Kaohsiung. Taiwan’s National Airborne Service Corps dispatched a black hawk helicopter to airlift the three

Animals Marine and Fisheries

October 27, 2022October 27, 2022 Press Release 0 Comment angling, fishing, marine conservation, marine environment, turtles

Press Release: Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) The Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) recently received reports of a green loggerhead impaled by a barbed fishing lure in the waters off Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung County. The lure pierced the turtle’s chin, neck and left fin, visibly tugging at the animal’s skin with every fin stroke. The injured turtle was spotted by divers who captured video footage of the scene. According to Taiwan’s Wildlife Conservation Act, members

composite image of TS Lines freighter and oil pollution

Marine and Fisheries

October 19, 2022October 19, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment High Court, marine environment, New Taipei City, oil spill, shipping accident

Taiwan’s High Court today ruled that the owners of a freighter that ran aground on the north coast in 2016, causing an oil spill, does not have to pay compensation to local fishermen as there is no proof of damage to the fishery. The TS Lines ship, TS Taipei ran aground on the coast in Shimen District on March 9, 2016, and began to break in half on March 24. The subsequent spill of heavy oil affected the coast of

Marine and Fisheries

October 18, 2022October 18, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment marine search and rescue, shipping accident, Taiwan Strait

Taiwan’s coast guard and National Airborne Service Corps are conducting a sea and air search for a Vietnamese national who went missing after four crew members of a cargo ship fell into the sea off the coast of Yunlin County yesterday, October 17. The Central Taiwan Maritime Affair Center of the Maritime and Port Bureau said that it received notification from the National Coast Guard Administration at around 6:00 pm yesterday, Monday, that four crew members from the 31,236-ton Vietnamese

chart showing microplastics environmental flow chart

Marine and Fisheries

May 2, 2022May 2, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment marine biology, marine environment, ocean, plastic, pollution, Sun Yat-sen University

A research team at a Taiwanese university found microplastics in 14 dried fish products from 7 different countries in Asia, according to a study published in the latest issue of The Journal of Hazardous Materials. The study conducted at the College of Marine Sciences at National Sun Yat-sen University examined small whole dried fish products that are commonly eaten with peanuts as a snack or appetizer and are popular in Asian countries. The products were produced in Japan, China, Sri

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Environment

Taiwan coast guard deploys elite unit for high-speed intercepts of Chinese speedboats

“When Worlds Collide: A Formosan Black Bear’s Deadly Dance with Civilization” wins Gold at Houston Film Fest

First tuna of the season a record-breaker at 320kg

74,000-ton container ship crashes into wharf at Port of Kaohsiung: Pilot suspected drunk

Taiwanese fishing boat found capsized in the Indian Ocean: crew of 16 missing

Two life boats from sunken ship found, but no sign of 12 missing crew

12 crew missing after ship sinks in the Taiwan Strait

Environmental group draws attention to fishing gear threat with video of turtle injured by fish lure

Shipping company exempted from paying damages to fishing industry for 2016 oil spill

Search underway for 1 missing after 4 crew fall from cargo ship in the Taiwan Strait

Study finds microplastics in popular fish snacks from 7 Asian countries