Taiwanese fishing boats have long been menaced by armed vessels from the Philippines and Vietnam, with countless Taiwanese fishermen saying they have either been harassed or had their catch confiscated at gunpoint.
With life on the high seas hard as it is — given the physical and mental effort needed to cope with the uncertainty of the weather, as well as interference from Philippine and Vietnamese ships — imagine the added emotional burden Taiwanese fishermen carry knowing that they cannot count on their own government for protection or support.