"The project was not only simple and easy to complete, but it also cost a fraction of what it would have if concrete barriers were built," Hsieh said. "Unfortunately the idea has yet to pick up wide support, and there's still no concept of environmental/ecologically friendly engineering anywhere in Taiwan."
While government officials and ecologists bicker about how best to ensure the future of the capital's rivers, one sad fact is agreed on by all parties. The amount of fauna and flora that has been lost forever due to years of neglect will possibly never be known.
Until four years ago, when Academia Sinica's Institute of Zoology began a concise study of the Tamsui River's ecosystem, the river had only ever been the subject of one other such study. The National Science Council's field study of 15 years ago, however, concentrated solely on specific known species of flora and fauna in the Tamsui River basin.
"The science council's study wasn't very concise and their conclusions only led to the collation of very simple diversity indexes," said Shao Kwang-tsao (
Hard data concerning the numbers of species that have become extinct due to years of neglect may be scarce, but after extensive research Shao believes that the Hyporhamphus taiwanensis, or halfback fish, is one of only scores of creatures that have disappeared from the river.
According to Shao, the Tamsui estuary was the only place in the world where the halfback was to be found. That was until the late 1960s, however, when the last sighting of the 20cm-long fish took place.
"While we don't know how many have died out, it's pretty safe to assume that the halfback is only one of many marine species that have disappeared from the Tamsui and Keelung rivers," Shao said. "If I was asked how many I thought had died out over the past hundred years then, without meaning to sound cynical I'd have to say at least one for every year." Although large amounts of flora and fauna no longer call the waterways home, punters who take the river cruises are getting to see some marine life.
"There's now quite large numbers of fish in the river, which is coming as a surprise to many of the people who take the trip," Weng said. "You can see them jumping out of the water all the time. It's quite something and certainly a good sign."
According to Hsieh, however, celebrations might be somewhat premature, as the species in question is quite unusual.
"The Tilapia is a hardy fish and can survive in most if not all marine environments, but it's a start I guess," Hsieh concluded. "When dragonflies and other water-feeding insects reappear then it'll be pretty safe to say that the river is once again alive. Until then we have to ensure that the river isn't forgotten about again."
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