1. Taiwan to step up iguana eradication efforts in 2025: MOA

Taiwan plans to cull as many as 120,000 invasive green iguanas in 2025 in an effort to curb the species' impact on local farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said Sunday. Chiu Kuo-hao, a section chief in the ministry's Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, said green iguanas have now been recorded across southern Taiwan and as far north as Taichung. Although there are no reliable statistics on the species' total population in the country, it has been estimated to be around 200,000, Chiu said. Chiu said around 70,000 iguanas had been culled in 2024, including some 45,000 in Pingtung County, 12,000 in Tainan, 9,900 in Chiayi, 6,500 in Kaohsiung, 5,000 in Changhua and around 100 in several other cities and counties.

2. U.S. Refuses Port Access to Foreign IUU Fishing Vessels

Starting from October 10, 2024, foreign commercial fishing vessels accused by the U.S. government of engaging in Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities will be denied entry to U.S. ports. The Fisheries Agency reminds the public that IUU fishing not only threatens the sustainability of marine resources but also exposes vessels to sanctions such as port access denial by market countries. To avoid potential losses, fishermen are urged to comply with distant water fisheries regulations and work together to protect Taiwan's distant water fishing industry.