What is happening in the waters of Palau, where an EEZ-wide marine protected area has been established?
Ironically, the Mihama, a patrol vessel dispatched by the Japan Fisheries Agency who against Palau Maritime Protected Area, in response to the bill, has discovered abnormal conditions in the Palauan EEZ. Palau has only one Australian-supplied patrol vessel capable of navigating into the EEZ (and it can't go very far). Moreover, the Australian shipbuilding industry, which the former Australian defense minister criticized for not being able to make a canoe, is said to break down frequently. (This defense minister was removed from office for criticizing the Australian shipbuilding industry.)
Some years, the island governments had no budget and could not pay for fuel and labor, and the annual operating days were as few as 30 days. In addition, the FFA and USCG only enforce fishing vessels that have been confirmed by VMS. In other words, only those vessels that are registered and have paid an entry fee.
Palau's new Marine Protected Area bill will ban these legitimate fishing vessels, but the real IUUs, which have not been policed until now, will be left unregulated.
I asked the Japan Fisheries Agency to provide the following photos for my presentation at the Japan Association for Ocean Policy Studies. Palau's EEZ is teeming with these illegal fishing boats and gear. The Fisheries Agency is trying to deal with these illegal fishing boats by dispatching local law enforcement officers on board, but the International Law Bureau of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice are trying to stop them.
I'm afraid the Fisheries Agency will get angry if I write too much, so I'll stop here.
By the way, the Palau Maritime Police is very much welcoming the Japan Fisheries Agency's offer. Because they do not need to manage the vessels, pay for fuel, or operate the vessels. Moreover, they will receive expertise in enforcement from Japanese experts in illegal fishing enforcement. They have never even seen their own EEZ.
And this is something that the Australian Navy, US Coast Guard, and PACOM, which have no experience in illegal fishing enforcement, cannot support.
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EEZ全面海洋保護区が制定されたパラオの海域で何か起っているか?
皮肉な事にこの法案に反応した水産庁が派遣した取締船「みはま」がパラオEEZ内の異常な状況を発見してしまったのである。 パラオにはEEZまで航海できる取締船は豪州が供与した監視艇が一隻あるだけだ。（これもそれほど遠くまでは行けない） しかも、豪州元防衛大臣がカヌーも作れないと批判した豪州造船業界が作った船はよく故障するらしい。（この防衛大臣は豪州造船業界を批判したせいで更迭された）
予算がない島嶼国政府は燃料代、人件費も払えず年間稼働日が30日なんて年もあった。しかも取り締まるのはFFAやUSCGがVMSで確認した漁船だけ。即ち登録し入漁料を払っている漁船だけ。
パラオの新しい海洋保護区の法案はこれらの正当な漁船の活動を禁止するが、今まで取り締まって来なかった本当のIUUは野放し状態となる。
日本海洋政策学会で発表するので資料提供を水産庁に依頼した所下記の写真をいただいた。 こういう違法漁船、漁具がうじゃうじゃいるんです。パラオのEEZには。 これを水産庁の取締船派遣で現地法執行官を乗船させて対処しようとしているのをストップしているのが日本の外務省の国際法局と法務省なんだそうである。
あんまり書くと水産庁に怒られそうなのでここまでにしておきます。
ちなみにパラオの海洋警察はこの水産庁の提案を大歓迎している。 船の管理も燃料費も、運営も必要ないからだ。 しかも日本の違法操業取締専門家から取締に関する専門知識を伝授してもらえる。 彼ら自分たちのEEZをまだ見た事もないのだ。
そしてこれは違法操業取締の経験がない豪州海軍、米国沿岸警備隊やPACOMには支援できる内容ではないのだ。
