Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) yesterday condemned Chinese fishers for using cyanide and urged them to respect the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Speaking to reporters after the International Conference on Marine Environmental Management in Taipei, Kuan made the remarks following the seizure of a Chinese vessel carrying cyanide by the Coast Guard Administration for illegally operating near the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea.

Cyanide fishing involves spraying a sodium cyanide mixture into a habitat to stun fish for capture. The practice harms not only the target species, but also other marine organisms, including coral reefs.