The Taiwan chapter of a Chinese non-profit environmental protection group donated NT$2.1 million (US$65,400) yesterday to the Taiwan Environmental Information Association (TEIA) to fund a survey of coral reefs and a squid conservation project.
George Chen (陳田文), head of the Taiwan chapter of the China-based Society of Entrepreneur Ecology (SEE) and chairman Capital Securities in Taipei, presented the money raised from SEE members in Taiwan and China at a press conference to mark the chapter’s establishment.
Chen said the seas around Taiwan are home to abundant and diverse marine life, but long-term public ignorance of marine ecology and heavy pollution has caused a rapid depletion of many local marine populations and had put the survival of coral reefs and marine life under threat.
“Our ocean resources are becoming increasingly exhausted and the world under the surface of the ocean is gradually becoming a silent ocean desert that threatens coral reefs and marine life,” said Chen, a keen scuba diver.
Taking squid as an example, Chen said some species live around coral reefs, but as a result of over-exploitation, pollution and drastic climate change, the coral has declined to the extent that the squid now lay their eggs mainly in discarded fishing nets or garbage.
He expressed hope that the sponsorship program would arouse public awareness of the importance of marine life protection and help restore the marine ecosystem.
TEIA secretary-general Chen Rui-bin (陳瑞賓) said Taiwan’s coral reefs are in decline and he hopes more people will take action to protect the marine environment.
Kuo Dao-jen (郭道仁), who is responsible for carrying out the squid conservation program, said he has more than 30 years diving experience and a good understanding of the species. He expressed his fear that there will be nowhere for the squid to spawn within 10 years.
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