The Editor says: Taiwan is an ocean nation. As the recreational scuba diving population continues to grow, issues such as balancing tourism with ecology and the development of the diving industry are attracting increasing attention. Today (the 26th), at the Legislative Yuan's Interior Committee, legislators including Luo Mei-ling, Zhuang Rui-xiong, Huang Shi-jie, and Chen Jiao-hua all raised questions on marine issues. Follow the Editor as we look at the latest developments in Taiwan's ocean policy!
Xiaoliuqiu Ecology Sounds the Alarm
The Legislative Yuan's Interior Committee convened today (the 26th), with Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Chairperson Kuan Pi-ling attending to present a work report and answer questions. On the issue of Xiaoliuqiu's ecology sounding the alarm amid surging visitor numbers, Legislator Zhuang Rui-xiong put it bluntly: "For Xiaoliuqiu's sustainability, this has to be addressed — but locals don't dare talk about controls, or they'll get torn apart." He urged Kuan Pi-ling to help find a solution. In response, Kuan acknowledged that coordinating visitor carrying capacity was indeed necessary, emphasizing that the OAC would "play the bad cop" and "speak up loudly," and pledged: "If it comes to it, I will personally chair the meeting."
Legislator Zhuang cited an environmental group's survey report indicating that coral coverage at Xiaoliuqiu had declined at four out of six monitoring sites and was functionally dead at one. He noted that the local community depends on tourism, but feared that a "killing the goose that laid the golden egg" dynamic — where ever-growing crowds cause lasting damage to resources and the environment — would eventually drive visitors away entirely. He called on the OAC to convene Pingtung County Government and local agencies to coordinate and implement necessary controls. Kuan responded that intertidal zone carrying-capacity controls are already in place and will continue to be coordinated, suggesting that more nuanced and comprehensive visitor-capacity management for Xiaoliuqiu is on the horizon.
Taking Stock of Activity Types for a Marine Guide System
In addition, citing Ministry of Health and Welfare statistics showing 321 accidental drowning cases in 2022, Legislator Zhuang suggested that the data should be further categorized to understand the types of water activities involved in accidents, and proposed exploring the feasibility of a "marine guide" system. Kuan noted that guide frameworks are already planned for scuba diving and canyoneering, and that the OAC will take stock of other aquatic activity types suitable for a marine guide program. The recreational safety publicity budget has already been doubled for next year, in hopes of reducing the risk of accidents.
Legislator Luo Mei-ling focused particularly on marine sports safety and insurance issues. Citing the case of a freediving competition in March of this year that was refused coverage by insurers and ultimately only secured public liability insurance, Kuan explained that insurance companies currently consider there to be insufficient data to assess and actuarially calculate risks. For the time being, when competitions arise, assistance with insurance will be handled on a "case-by-case" basis.
Luo also asked about the responsible authorities for marine sports. Kuan responded that in the future, marine sports will fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education's Sports Administration, while marine leisure will be overseen by the Tourism Administration. To improve the overall industry, the OAC will continue to play a coordinating role — for example, an inter-ministerial meeting was held in September to coordinate on issues including whether a guide system is needed.
The Editor's team will continue to monitor the latest developments in marine policy revision, including discussions taking place in the Legislative Yuan, and bring ocean enthusiasts the most timely reporting. We invite you to register as a member and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates.
Further Reading:
