The fishing and dive industries have long had an unstable relationship, but recent reports of alleged blast fishing in ocean tourism areas have both sides at even greater odds.

Recent reports of possible blast fishing are testing the already tense relationship between fisherfolk and divers along the northeast coast of Taiwan.

Upsetting dive footage captured by ocean tourists of dead fish drifting along the seabed has many pointing fingers at the fishing industry. Meanwhile, local fishermen, feeling attacked and slandered, clash with divers.

One boat captain shouts at the divers to stop making trouble, and not to dive in the throughway, accusing them of antagonizing fishermen on purpose. He later explains that the cause of the fish die-off must first be investigated. If the allegations are untrue, the fishermen deserve justice.

A map of the area details Longdong Bay in Gongliao District, New Taipei City. The light blue area represents the divers' activities, while the fishing boats' channel is to the left. Fishermen must take a curved route to pass through the area, which inevitably overlaps and causes conflict.

One diver says that, starting at a depth of roughly 12 or 15 meters, many dead fish are seen along the sand. He alleges that someone must be blast fishing there at night, citing footage of boats and nearby bubbles.

Another fisherman claims that the fish died from the sunscreen used by the divers. He says their community doesn't practice blast fishing, and that kind of fish isn't very valuable anyway.

Regardless of modus operandi, the mass fish deaths are a problem. The New Taipei City Fisheries Department responded that they will investigate to clarify the cause of death. As for the suspected blast fishing, while no evidence has been found, the department has contacted the Coast Guard, requesting increased inspections for any fishy behavior.