For his work to preserve the legacy of the World War II genereration, Taylan was recognized by the World War II Veterans Committee with the Hunter Scott Achievement Award. On November 6, 2006, Taylan and his Pacific Wrecks crew sailed into the Solomon Islands to explore Guadalcanal Campaign battlefield sites. The team inadvertently stumbled onto a salvage operation underway at Ballale Island which housed a Japanese air base during the war. When the group went to inform the Solomon Island Royal Police of what they believed to be an illegal salvage operation, their passports were confiscated and they were confined to their boat and charged with entering the country illegally. Taylan and his crew were under boat arrest for six weeks to await trial. On December 17, Taylan and his colleagues were found guilty and each paid a fine of 800 Solomon Islands Dollar ($108 USD).