Taiwan's famous attractions瘋活旅遊趣#2 Shanyuan-fushan fish recovery area富山復魚區
Shanyuan-fushan fish recovery area
The Fushan Prohibited Fishing Zone is located at Shanyuan beach in Beinan township of Taitung county, at the southern end of Dulan Bay. It is Taitung’s only seawater bathing spot, early on it became known as “Shanyuan Seawater Bathing Spot”. The Fushan sea area early on was abundant in natural fishing resources, but because of over-fishing more than ten years ago, the sea area’s ecology was damaged until there was almost nothing left, with not only fisherman unable to survive but with the tourist value also decreased.
After the 2005 announcement of the Fushan Prohibited Fishing Zone it became the East Coast’s scenic spot for abundant intertidal marine ways of life, and the shoals of fish and coral reefs been preserved completely intact. At the initial stage of setting up the Prohibited Fishing Zone, the fisherman for a short while had their life inconvenienced; but along with the protection of the fishes’ habitat, the shoals of fish outside the prohibited zone were also increasing, and fisherman harvested until a level of stability was gradually reached.
After the setting up of the Fushan Prohibited Fishing Zone, apart from attracting local Taiwanese tourists, it also allowed guests from Japan, Korea, Canada and the Chinese mainland to come and look around, establishing a wave of tourists for local communities. Nowadays fish, shrimp, shellfish and other ocean organisms’ rate of reproduction is growing fast, opening up local business opportunities, with residents becoming ecological commentators and snorkeling instructors. Community residents further initiate “Protect coastal resources, perpetual development” promotion exercises such as parent and child beach treasure hunts, holiday beach-cleaning exercises, as well as ecological education. Furthermore, the Shanyuan Ocean Resources Protection Association has conducted ecological surveys on this stretch of sea area.
music:Halcyon - Runaway (feat. Valentina Franco) [NCS Release]
1121 #94 Fishing-prohibited Area Disputes
In some areas along Taiwan's east coasts, environmental protection and local development issues are often in conflict with the interests of traditional ommunity life and have caused controversies. Two years ago, Taitung County government established the Fushan Fishing-Prohibited Area under the name of environmental conservation. The move sparked protests from Amis community members. Now other communities are also protesting because Taitung City is rumored that another Fishing-Prohibited Area will be established in Karoro'an beach in Kakawasan community where the Amis people inhabit.
36 green sea turtle hatchlings released from Taiwan proper
Thirty-six baby green sea turtles have been released into the wild, after hatching in Taitung on Taiwan proper. The green sea turtle is an endangered species known to lay eggs at Penghu and Orchid Island. The species tends to stay away from the busy beaches of Taiwan’s main island, but one made its way to a remote marine reserve in Taitung to nest. Conservationists kept watch over the eggs day and night and were rewarded two months later with a nest of healthy hatchlings. It’s this child’s first time seeing baby green turtles. He takes a quick video, capturing a memory before the hatchlings are released to the ocean.The baby turtles were placed on the sand. Conservationists cheered as the turtles rushed toward the sea.Chen Shih-yueConservationistAfter we saw that the green turtle had come ashore, we took turns every day watching over the beach in the afternoon and evenings. Tourists also come to this area so we were scared they might dig the eggs up.Back in August, a gravid turtle appeared at Taitung’s Fushan Fish Reserve and laid 90 eggs near a wind break on the beach. Volunteers watched over the eggs day and night. Two months later, 36 baby turtles hatched from the nest.Cheng I-JiunnNational Taiwan Ocean UniversityIt’s happened many times on the outlying islands, but it’s a first for Taiwan proper. It was very exciting news for the county government, for the fish reserve and the entire country.The conservation professor was all smiles as the baby turtles were released to the wild in hopes that they would grow and thrive.