TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Lienchiang County, which includes Matsu and several smaller islands, stepped up efforts to remove crab and octopus pots illegally laid in its territorial waters on Tuesday (April 16).

Lienchang County Economic Development Department said it recently received reports from fishermen that a large number of crab and octopus pots have appeared offshore of Beigan Island. This led to a marine patrol that netted 3,000 kg of illegal pots. Local fishermen said the vast majority were placed by Chinese fishermen.

This use of crab and octopus pots and other fishing cages is prohibited within 6,000 meters of islands within Lienchang County. The prohibition went into effect in 2018, with authorities regularly patrolling for illegal fishing gear, which is later removed and destroyed, per UDN.

Municipal authorities said they had recently carried out clearance operations around Luoshan (螺蚌山), Daaoshan (大澳山), Shihyu Islet (獅嶼), as well as other areas around Beigan. Illegal pots were removed and stacked on docks, awaiting processing by recycling companies.

The ban on crab and octopus pots was the result of a vote conducted by fishers in the Matsu area. They say the use of the pots, despite their size, can cause great harm to the marine ecology by depleting resources.

Furthermore, Matsu fishers believe the vast majority of pots are placed by Chinese fishing boats. An unnamed municipal official said that Chinese fishing boats often cross territorial waters to retrieve crab and octopus pots.

Thus, removing these pots can prevent Chinese fishing boats from crossing into Taiwan’s territorial waters, and both Matsu fishers and Lienchang County officials agree on strengthening enforcement efforts.