Taipei, Taiwan - Five Taiwanese citizens have been detained by China after the country's Coast Guard seized a fishing boat during China's "no-fishing season." Taipei is now calling for the return of its sailors.

The five mariners were arrested under the alleged suspicion that they were engaged in illegal fishing in China's waters. Previously detained fishermen have received fines and then been released when caught operating during what China terms as its "no-fishing season."

China's Coast Guard intercepted the ship just 23.7 nautical miles from the Liaoluo port on the Kinmen Islands. The islands, while controlled by Taipei, are located only 3 miles from the Chinese mainland in waters heavily disputed by Beijing.

When Taiwan received news of the interception, it dispatched two Taiwanese Coast Guard vessels to try and rescue the mariners, but they were blocked by Chinese ships, and the chase was called off to avoid further escalation.

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In a statement provided to the press, the Taiwanese Coast Guard said that they are "demanding the immediate release" of the fishing boat but that "the Chinese side also broadcast to us, asking not to interfere."

The Coast Guard said that "to avoid escalating the conflict, we have decided to stop the chase" but that Taiwan will "actively request" that the boat and its crew be returned safely through official channels.

China has instituted a no-fishing period, lasting from May 1 to August 15, in an attempt to protect breeding and juvenile fish and reduce the impact of overfishing in what it claims are its territorial waters.

While it isn't clear whether the illegal fishing cited by China as the reason for the boat's capture is specifically related to the no-fishing period, it seems likely as over the last few months multiple ships have been seized.

The seizure of Taiwanese mariners comes during a time of heightened tension after Beijing circled the island nation with military forces and the US said that it would turn the Taiwan Strait into an "unmanned hellscape" if war were to break out.