Taiwanese aquaculture at the crossroads.

Abstract

Taiwan is surrounded by an ocean and a strait and located in the subtropical and tropical climate zones. Optimal climate, suitable water and soil quality, and diligent aquafarmers provided Taiwanese aquaculturists with a wealth of valuable experiences gained from aquaculture practices for over 300 years. From 1960 to 1980, aquaculture production started to rise during its prosperous phase. It was followed by a transitional phase, where several major problems occurred, including overexploitation of aquafarms, saltwater intrusion in nearby agricultural lands, land subsidence, damage of the coastal landscape, and outbreaks of fish diseases. In addition, the government put inappropriate or incorrect policies into place that slowed down the progress of aquaculture development. In contrast, world aquaculture has increasingly developed in most aquaculture-producing countries. Its tremendous importance has become even more evident during recent decades. These developments are in response to (a) decreasing fisheries resources due to overfishing, (b) growing problems of pollution in marine and freshwater environments, (c) increasing human population and thus an increasing demand for protein from aquaculture for food, and (d) exploring the potential of aquatic organisms as indicators of healthy food and for biomedical purposes. In this paper, technical and nontechnical strategies for the future development of Taiwanese aquaculture are discussed, with the goal of bringing about another transitional and outreach phase. The prospects and visions for sustainability of the industry are summarized. The past and current status of Taiwanese aquaculture may thereby serve as a lesson for other countries in which the aquaculture industry is still developing or at its peak.