Search

The Fisheries Agency (FA) under the COA (Council of Agriculture) regulates the fishing sector. The core fishing policy is to maintain the sustainability of fishery resources, and to improve the livelihood and welfare of fishermen. (…)

(…) The fishing vessel and raft buy-back programme has been implemented since 1991; to date, the government has bought 3,272 vessels and 1,723 rafts. To reduce fishing capacity while protecting the environment and maintaining sustainable fishery resources, all vessels bought back under this programme are dismantled. (…)

Table 4.7 Subsidies to the fishing sector, 2009-12
(NT$ million)
Title: Fishing vessel buy-back programme: grants to fishing vessels depending on the tonnage, and to fishing rafts depending on the length of raft, the pipe diameter, and the power of main engine: 607.6 (2009); 118.2 (2010); 66.5 (2011); 86.8 (2012)

Title: Reward for closing fishery season: 159.2 (2009); 166.7 (2010); 171.8 (2011); 173.5 (2012)

Title: Fishing vessels marine insurance reward: grants provided to cover a portion of the insurance costs for fishing vessels if damaged at sea: 87.4 (2009); 103.7 (2010); 82.8 (2011); 45.4 (2012)

(…) In fisheries, grants are provided for programmes for buy-back of fishing vessels, reduction of fishing vessels, closing the fishery season, water-recirculation devices used in aquaculture, marine insurance for fishing vessels, and fish market (price) stabilization, as well as aquaculture facilities subsidized by loan programmes (section 4.1.1.4).

To control illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) fishing, the government of TKPM has established various legal frameworks and measures, including: participating in the RFMOs (regional fisheries management organizations) and cooperating with member economies bilaterally; establishing a record of licensed fishing vessels (white list); requiring fishing vessels to implement a vessel monitoring system (VMS); requiring fishing vessels to report their catches either through VMS or by fax; implementing management measures on transhipment in the port or at sea; dispatching patrol vessels to conduct boarding and inspection; implementing the Observer Program and the Statistical Document and Catch Document Scheme; controlling fishing capacity of the fleet; allocating fishing quotas and limitations on the fishing area; and promulgating the National Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported Fishing, in 2013, in response to the adoption of the FAO International Plan of Action on IUU.

Chinese Taipei has prohibited the logging of its natural forest since 1985. Most forest products are imported: average annual imports of forest products were around 6 million cubic meters between 2007 and 2011. Most imported wood products (106 of the 123 tariff lines) face zero tariffs, and the simple average tariff is 1.5%.

The Forestry Bureau under the COA regulates the development of forestry. The current forestry policy focuses on fostering the sustainability of the forestry industry, promoting production restructure, and extending the value chain of forestry production. Major policy tools include: encouraging the local governments to set up forestry production cooperatives to establish the supply chain through production to marketing of timber/bamboo products; and promoting research and development of new innovative product lines for manufacturers to use forestry products as raw materials. The authorities hope that, by improving the economic value of forestry, and encouraging the upgrading towards modern forestry enterprises, timber production will move from a primary industry to a higher quality secondary processing industry. The COA is also promoting forestry tourism and other tertiary industry, to improve the added value potential of forestry.

Policy objectives are specified in the Strategy Framework of Sustainable Energy Policy, approved in 2008. According to the Framework, sustainable energy development must balance the objectives of energy security, economic development, and environmental protection, while considering the need of future generations. The specific targets include:
 improving energy efficiency by more than 2% per annum from 2008, so that the energy intensity level is to decrease by 20% in 2015 compared with the 2005 level, and with further technological breakthroughs and proper matching administrative measures, the energy intensity level is to decrease by 50% in 2025 compared with the 2005 level;
 developing clean energy by: reducing CO2 emissions to their 2008 level between 2016 and 2020, and further to their 2000 level in 2025; increasing the share of low-carbon energy in electricity generation from the current 40% to 55% in 2025; and
securing stable energy supply by building a secure energy supply system to meet economic development goals.

To achieve these objectives, the government has been adopting measures in: first, setting up a comprehensive regulatory framework such as on the implementation of the "Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act", and the "Renewable Energy Development Act", and formulating the "Regulations on Energy Tax" to reflect the external cost of energy consumption, amending the "Energy Management Act" to promote energy saving measures; and second, providing cleaner energy supply by developing carbon-free renewable energy, and rationalizing energy demand, by reforming the industries towards a low-energy intensive structure.

The economy depends heavily on energy imports, with fuels accounting for over 25% of the overall import bill. In 2013, 98% of the total energy supply was imported (Chart 4.4). The largest source of domestic energy production is biomass and waste; coal has not been produced since 2001.