P.M. BRIEFING : Taiwan Refuses to Ban Drift Nets
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TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan will not bow to international pressure to ban the use of drift nets by its fishing fleet, the government’s top official in charge of fisheries said today.
“We cannot ban the practice outright as it would affect the livelihood of many fishermen,” said J. C. Lee, acting director of the Fisheries Department.
Taiwan, which Lee said is home to about 260 drift-net fishing boats, has been accused by the United States and South Pacific nations of wreaking ecological havoc in the Pacific by using the so-called “wall-of-death” nets. They are also used by Japanese and South Korean fishing boats.
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