Armed and masked, scouring the oceans, stealing food from hungry families – modern-day pirates are a far cry from the glamour of Hollywood movies. But they are a multi-billion-dollar reality for many communities that can least afford to be robbed.

Taiwan is at the center of the crisis facing our oceans. It has fishing boats in every ocean of the world, and it has become one of the most powerful distant-water fishing industries. Taiwan has made huge profits off the world’s fish resources,...