Taiwan the "fishless" island

[tango42]

If it's fish you're eating (I eat a lot), even at the seafood restaurant next to the port or harbor it's probably not from the waters around Taiwan but imported frozen.

Article (in cooperation with CommonWealth Magazine) in China Post today titled "Not plenty of fish in the sea for Taiwan's struggling seafood industry". Link http://english.cw.com.tw/article.do?action=show&id=13541 (thanks Tiger Mountaineer).

Some quotes:

- "Taiwan's residents consume huge amounts of seafood, but much of it is imported rather than caught in the waters off the island".
- " why is it that fresh fish caught in neighboring waters is more expensive in neighboring waters is more expensive along the Hsinchu coast than in similar seafood restaurants in Taipei? Simply put, because fish in Taiwan is generally not freshly caught".
-- " Hordes of tourists from North and Central Taiwan flood the area on weekends and holidays, hoping to get a taste of the freshest seafood, without realizing that what they may be buying or eating is frozen fish caught in distant waters".
- "Taiwan can be accurately described as a "fishless" island, relying mostly on cultivated fish and catches from distant waters to satisfy the high demand"
- "The problem {according to Acadamia Sinica} is that Taiwan's coasts were destroyed a long time ago by overfishing, habitat destruction, and environmental pollution]".
- "The auction markets in these ports in southern Taiawn now serve more as transaction and distribution centers. Fish are gathered from all over and then sent to traditional markets in Tainan and Kaohsiung, where they are then purchased by customers".
- "The special local flavor that once distinguished each port has completely disappeared".
- According to Fisheries Agency director-general James Sha, "Initially, we depended on fishing vessels to catch fish. Then we relied on fish smuggled in from China. Now we depend on imports"

[bigduke6]

Considering the way local fisherman have gang raped the seas off Taiwan, no wonder.

As a scuba diver, I often see fishing in protected areas, under the noses of the coastguard, who do f^%k all. Zero enforcement of marine protection laws.

You are lucky if you see an anorexic sea horse.

[Tiger Mountaineer]

Can't seem to locate a digital verson to link.

It's over here at Common Wealth Magazine's site. Sad stuff.

[finley]

Considering the way local fisherman have gang raped the seas off Taiwan, no wonder.

As a scuba diver, I often see fishing in protected areas, under the noses of the coastguard, who do f^%k all. Zero enforcement of marine protection laws.

You are lucky if you see an anorexic sea horse.

Ah, yes, but you're forgetting that they had to do that because of, like, the economy and stuff.

Just imagine, if they hadn't turned Taiwan's entire coastline into a lifeless, stripmined, polluted wasteland, where would Taiwan be today?

[NonTocareLeTete]

There are so many fishing boats trawling constantly outside my house- I wonder what they're coming up with?
Also heard that the reason the jelly fish were so bad 2 summers ago was because their natural competitors/predators had been fished to oblivion. Then last summer- no jellyfish- did they put something in the water to kill them all to save tourism?
And how much pollution is there?

[antarcticbeech]

Just imagine, if they hadn't turned Taiwan's entire coastline into a lifeless, stripmined, polluted wasteland, where would Taiwan be today?

Somewhere fishy.

[Pingdong]

they still take a lot out. squid boats are common too locally. as a matter of fact i can think of a couple uses for all those big ass lights on squid boats that would use less energy, create more profits and also its waste be commercially valuable.

one of my students is from Dongang in PIngdong. his family fishes, and his uncle always goes down near borneo to fish for the big tuna. they were telling me the prices they get for some of these fish....no wonder its worth the trip.

also in restaurants there are LOTS of locally farmed fish. no idea on how much is exported, but surely the domestic aquatic farms must put a dent in the total, no?

[Nuit]

A wee ancedote about over-fishing. I just got sent the pics from the folks I met when hiking up into Er-Zi Shan (fairly remote hot springs). They were staying there for 2 nights, and this photo was taken on the 2nd day. So by that time they had at most 4 more meals left, that's an awful lot of fish for 5 people. There's a fair chance all these are Taiwanese shoveljaw carp, 苦花, an endemic and not that widespread species.

There ain't no way these were all eaten at the springs, and I'm doubting that they would have lasted a day and a half without refrigeration, if they chose to try and carry them out.

[headhonchoII]

I once flew from Taiwan to Okinawa at night. The sea was full of hundreds if not thousands of squid boats stretching out to the Okinawan islands.

[Mucha Man]

Some of those boats would be picking up fish from other boats. But this problem is hardly unique to Taiwan. This is the state of most fisheries around the world. Gone. The taieanese are not any worse than most european countries that destroyed there own resources years ago. Or canada with cod and then salmon farms killing all yhe wild stocks. And you can thank Norway for the latter. Almost no one takes care of fish resources.