TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – China is releasing a Taiwanese fishing trawler and its captain Friday (Nov. 15) following payment of 210,000 yuan (NT$943,500, US$29,000) after four months of captivity.

The Chinese coast guard seized the Da Jin Man No. 88, registered in Penghu, as it was fishing outside Taiwan-controlled waters near the outlying island of Kinmen on July 2. China alleged the ship’s crew had been catching squid during a fishing ban for the area.

The case was discussed during visits by former Penghu County officials to China’s province of Fujian in August and by senior Penghu County Council members to Beijing in October, per CNA. On Thursday (Nov. 14), former Council Speaker Chen Shuang-chuan (陳雙全) traveled to Quanzhou in China’s Fujian Province for another round of talks about the case.

After visiting the ship’s captain Friday morning, Chen had a friend pay a fine of 100,000 yuan for the captain and a 110.000 yuan fine for the ship before returning to Taiwan. The ship will need repairs due to its long period of inactivity.

On Friday afternoon it reached the median line of the Taiwan Strait, where it was welcomed by another fishing trawler, the Da Jin Man No. 8, with the original crew of four on board. The two ships are expected to reach their home port of Zhuwan in Penghu on Saturday morning.