It refers to the fishing operation in power fishing boats within the 12-200N.M. mile Exclusive Economical Zone of R.O.C., with major fisheries as trawling fishery, purse seine fishery, purse seine for Mackerels, drift net fishery, long line fisery, torch light net fishery, etc.; the main fishing opertion field of the offshore fishing boats is around the East China Sea, Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, the Bashi Channel and east marine field of Taiwan, etc.
During the latest 10 years, the offshore fishery is minor growth in production volume. It reached its peak in 1990 as 292,391 M.T. and with slight reduction from 1992. Since the resource amount tends to decrease, the fishing ground layout and fishery management work shall be improved in the future. The fishing production volume of 1994 is 242,272 M.T., accounting for 19% of the total fishing production volume. Recently, since the fishing boat size is enlarged and fishing technology and fishing navigation instrument is improved, the operation fishing ground has gradually developed to far sea.
The offshore fishing ground of Taiwan includes the continental shelf with water depth below 200m, as a fishing of bottom dwelling fishes that excessive fishing of bottom dwelling fishes that excessive fishing has caused great reduction in resource volume. In order to attain continued utilization of the offshore fishing ground, effort will be made towards the following directions:
(1) Perform an integral invesigation to the ecological environment of fisheries in the marine area to adjust the fishery industrial structure and actively cultivate fishery resource.
(2) Study to improve fishing technology and effectively develop in utilization of migrating fish resource.