New Taipei City has promoted the management policy of whitebait fishery since 2009, and 141 fishing vessels have been reduced
Lee Wen, the director of Agriculture Department, New Taipei City Government, said that the whitebait fishery is the traditional fishery in Tamsui District, and the harvested species are mainly the larvae of the anchovy, such as Oceanic anchovy, Shorthead anchovy, and Japanese anchovy. Because of the period from June to September each year is also the hatching and growing season of other fish, the proportion of bycatching is significantly higher; therefore, the New Taipei City Government not only carried out the control of the number of fishing vessels and the total amount of fishery harvesting in 2009, and announced the regulation of “Whitebait fishing season, fishing areas, fishing gear restrictions and prohibitions, and related matters in New Taipei City” to limit the number of working fishing vessels, the amount of catching, as well as the operating areas, the government also clearly set the closed season for whitebait fishing from June 15th to September 14th each year to maintain the sustainability of marine resources. Moreover, apart from the original fishing vessels purchasing measure, the city government purchased the whitebait fishery management in 2013 and coached fishermen to switch to more sustainable fisheries, in addition to the original high-price buyout of whitebait fishing vessels. The number of whitebait fishing vessels has dropped from 277 to 136 so far, a decrease of 141 vessels.
The closed season for whitebait fishing is from June 15th to September 14th, fishermen are required to comply with relevant regulations
Agriculture Department also reminds fishermen that apart from complying with the relevant fishing regulations, they must register and report the fishing log to facilitate subsequent scientific research and resource management assessment planning for whitebait fishery resources. If anyone violates the closed-season regulation, one will face a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$150,000. Therefore, the Department calls on the fishermen to comply with the regulations to jointly safeguard the sustainability of the ocean.