The Attorney General’s Office charged Wu Cheng Shan with possession of steel leaders, fishing for shark, mutilation of shark, possession of shark, 26 counts of fishing without being a party to a foreign fishing agreement, 26 counts of transport or possession of fish taken or retained without a foreign fishing agreement, 26 counts of fishing without a permit and 26 counts of transport or possession of fish taken or retained without a permit.
The affidavit of probable cause signed by Officer Allen Maldengesang stated that the fishing vessel entered Palau’s Exclusive Economic Zone on July 7, 13, 24, 26, 28, 29 and 30.The document stated that the vessel remained in the waters for more than 10 hours and/or five days in those separate occasions.The fishing vessel appeared to be working with another unlicensed fishing vessel from Taiwan, the Shen Maan Shing 10, the affidavit stated.It added that the Shen Maan Shing 10 had already departed Palau’s waters.FV Shin Fu Yu 68 was licensed to fish in Palau but it expired in 2008.On Aug. 5, 2009, at 9 a.m., the PSS H.I. Remeliik intercepted the fishing vessel in the waters of the western part of Palau’s EEZ.Personnel of the Division of Marine Law Enforcement Office boarded the vessel and inspected it.The affidavit stated that Wu Cheng Shan failed to produce a fishing permit or a copy of a foreign fishing agreement.Palau authorities also found steel leaders in a basket on board the vessel and two rolls of steel leaders, the affidavit added.The following day, local authorities conducted an inventory and found 127 pieces of sharks and shark fins on the vessel, the affidavit stated.
