Japanese vessels fire water cannons to deter Taiwan ships off the Diaoyu Islands. The Taiwan fishing vessel, named "Happy Family" in English, departed from a fishing port in New Taiwan City Thursday morning under the protection of ships from Taiwan's coast guard. [Photo/Sina.com]

A Taiwanese fishing vessel left for Diaoyu Island on Thursday morning under the protection of ships from Taiwan's coast guard.

It is scheduled to arrive in waters surrounding the island at noon.

The vessel, named "Happy Family" in English, departed from a fishing port in New?Taipei City. Several non-governmental activists are onboard the shipping vessel with a crew of seven people.

Taiwan's coast guard authority told Xinhua that it has deployed several patrol ships to protect the fishing vessel, but declined to reveal the exact number of deployed patrol ships, as that information is confidential.

The crew plans to bring a statue of Matsu, the indigenous Chinese goddess of the sea who protects fishermen and sailors, to Diaoyu Island.

The vessel will return to Taiwan on Thursday afternoon.