1. Fisheries Agency hosts outreach event to support migrant crew members

To show appreciation for the contributions of migrant crew members to Taiwan’s fishing industry, the Fisheries Agency, in collaboration with the Kaohsiung City Government’s Marine Bureau, held a care event titled “Sailing Thousands of Miles, United at Heart” on June 18 at the Qianzhen Fishermen’s Service Center.According to the Fisheries Agency, initiatives such as the recent opening of the Qianzhen Seafarers’ Center and the installation of Wi-Fi at the West Port Terminal are part of ongoing efforts to make life in Taiwan more convenient and secure for migrant crew members. The agency noted that it will continue to promote infrastructure projects aimed at helping seafarers feel at home when they return from long-distance voyages, with the hope that they will come to see Taiwan as their second home. At the event, the Fisheries Agency not only raised awareness about labor rights and distributed small gifts to crew members, but also provided free haircuts and shoulder massages. These services were designed to ease the physical and emotional strain faced by these hardworking individuals, offering them a warm and welcoming gesture of gratitude.

2. Kinmen pork barred from rest of Taiwan amid African swine fever scare

Shipments of pork and pork products from Kinmen County to other parts of Taiwan have been suspended until June 23 after a pig carcass found on a beach in the outlying county last week tested positive for African swine fever (ASF).　The one-week suspension was announced by the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) on Tuesday and took effect the same day.The ministry implemented the measures after its Veterinary Research Institute identified the ASF virus found in the dead pig as matching a strain currently spreading in China.