But these mechanisms are after all "static" in nature and may not have much effect. We expect more efforts from the authorities and enforcers in the areas of manpower, equipment and training. Also, the government should consider establishing a national center for marine pollution contingency response and studies or a marine pollution prevention foundation to conduct long-term research on marine pollution and to train professionals. In particular, it is not appropriate for the authorities to take lightly the question of how people, ships and equipment can initiate rescue work, install oil booms around the spill and clean it up in the shortest time possible.
Coastal areas should be classified and managed according to their topography, geography and ecological sensitivity. Plans should also be drawn up for the prevention and control of marine pollution. In 1998, the government enacted the ROC Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Law and the ROC Sea Territory and Contiguous Zone Law. Soon afterwards, it also announced the country's marine territory baseline.
But to this day, Taiwan's "internal waters," which are the most significant in terms of sovereignty, are still freely frequented by foreign vessels. The Oluanpi area and the area between Taiwan proper and Penghu belong to such internal waters. The government should strictly regulate shipping in the area and forbid or restrict shipping in ecologically sensitive areas (such as national park areas and fishing resources). But while making these regulations, Taiwan also needs to take care of developments in maritime transportation and international practice as well as ecological conservation.
Apart from how the Oluanpi incident is applicable to the National Park Law, the government should also review problems in the Marine Pollution Prevention Law and take the necessary steps to rectify them. Apart from demanding compensation from the shipping company concerned, the Kenting National Park should also quickly start an ecological survey as well as a clean-up and possible recovery work.
Chiau Wen-yan is an associate professor of marine environment and engineering at National Sun Yat-sen University.
Translated by Scudder Smith and Francis Huang
RSS