Preliminary Feasibility Assessment for Developing a Marine Ranch near the Xiehe Power Plant

Abstract

Taipower plans to renovate the Xiehe Power Plant in Keelung and construct a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal. This project conducts a two-year ecological, environmental, and fishery resource survey, as well as assessments of algal restoration techniques and numerical simulations to evaluate the feasibility and strategic direction of establishing a marine ranch around the plant. The ecological survey results indicate that the surveyed marine species are typical of northern Taiwan, with no protected or endemic species observed. Dominant groups include coral reef fish, coralline algae (Corallinaceae), Dendrophylliidae corals, and juvenile fishes of Scombridae and Carangidae. Environmental analyses show that the concentrations of metal elements in seawater and sediments, water quality parameters, and microbial compositions are comparable to those of adjacent natural coastal areas. The main fish species caught in nearby fishing ports belong to the Scombridae and Tetraodontidae families. Paralichthyidae (flounders) and Girella punctata were selected as target species for cultivation in the marine ranch. By utilizing the temperature characteristics of LNG cold and warm effluents, the system aims to enhance economic production while reducing dependence on wild marine fish stocks. Simulation results show that the dispersion range of thermal effluents does not significantly affect coral hotspot areas identified in this study. Based on multi-parameter numerical analyses, the sea area outside the National Taiwan Ocean University experimental field was identified as the optimal site for artificial reef deployment and marine afforestation. Comprehensive evaluations, including long-term metal leaching and algal substrate toxicity tests, indicate compliance with Taiwan’s Category A marine water quality standards and Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) limits. Furthermore, the life cycle of transplanted algae was consistent with that of naturally occurring species. In summary, this study recommends developing an intelligent, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture system to enhance biodiversity within a given water body. Such a system can simultaneously cultivate autotrophic algae and heterotrophic aquatic animals, achieving synergies among power generation, cold-water aquaculture, large-scale seaweed produc

台電公司規劃更新改建基隆協和發電廠，並設置天然氣接收站，本計畫評估電廠周圍營造海洋牧場之方向及可能性，進行兩年期生態、環境、漁業資源調查、藻類復育、海洋牧場可行性與方向之數值模擬。海域生態結果皆為北部海域常見之物種，未發現保育物種，以珊瑚礁魚類、珊瑚藻類、樹珊瑚科及鯖鰺科仔稚魚等為主；海域環境調查結果，沿海之海水與底泥金屬元素、水質及海水微生物與天然海域相似。鄰近漁港捕撈主要漁獲種類為鯖科、鰺科及單棘魨科。此外，選擇牙鮃科與瓜子鱲作為海洋牧場物種，除利用 LNG 冷溫排水特性，同時減少對海洋野生魚類的依賴。經模擬評估溫排水對鄰近海域影響，顯示擴散範圍未影響到本案珊瑚分布熱區。透過各參數計算分析基隆附近海域，最佳人工魚礁與海中造林場址為海大實習場外。綜合上述，本案建議發展智慧化整合型多營養層養殖系統，增加單位水體內養殖生物多樣性，對於電能供應、經濟冷水性水生動物繁養殖、大型海藻生產及海上休閒、觀光等益處，以期能平衡社會各界不同之目標。