AN IMPACT AND MANAGEMENT STUDY OF TAIWANESE ARTIFICIAL REEF DEPLOYMENT

摘要

For the past decades, around 20% of the natural coral reefs were lost and > 20% more is currently deteriorating. Due to the recognition of positive impact to fishery resources enhancement by artificial reefs (ARs) deployment, Taiwanese government hasstarted deploying ARs as a measure to improve the environment of fishing grounds since 1974. At present, there are 88 ARs deployment areas that have been established in Taiwan, which account for more than 180,000 sets of fishing grounds. However, fisheries enhancement is not the unique purpose of ARs deployment, it also include marine ecotourism as well as protection or restoration of certain habitats. Due to the nature of public goods, this results in dispute about cost and effectiveness of ARs deployment. This study analyzed the experience of Taiwan throughout the four decades of ARs deployment, and examined the value of ARs and the mechanism of self governance. A questionnaire was designed to explore the perception on ARs of different stakeholders,and results show a certain level of achieving fisheries enhancement objectives. Increased incidences of conflicts upon territories of ARs fishing grounds among stakeholders were observed. It also implied that cooperatives of fishermen associations and community are essential in the management stage of planning ARs deployment. Based on Taiwanese experience, effective ARs should take into account all variables including reef design, site selection, depth, materials etc. It is also recommended that in theprocess of ARs deployment, one can not take the current economic benefit as the only criterion; decision-makers should also consider the impacts on the natural environment, the efficient use of resources, as well as humanities and social aspects.