This lecture, titled "International Trends in Marine Conservation and Taiwan's Challenges," was delivered by Professor Kwang-Tsao Shao. The lecture begins by pointing out that the ocean is not only the cornerstone of ecological balance but also an important "blue carbon" treasury for climate regulation. However, humanity broadly suffers from "Shifting Baseline Syndrome," habituating to the already severely degraded state of the ocean as the new normal, thereby ignoring the severe warning signs of rapidly disappearing fishery resources and marine species. Professor Shao outlines the five major drivers leading to the loss of marine biodiversity: overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species, and climate change. Among these, overfishing and illegal fishing are the primary culprits posing the greatest threat to the ocean. Furthermore, rising water temperatures and ocean acidification caused by climate change have not only altered the structure of the marine food web but also led to severe coral bleaching and mortality crises across Taiwan's coral reefs. In the face of resource depletion, the scientific community recognizes that establishing "Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)" and implementing "no-take zones" is the most economical, simple, and effective method. Well-established protected areas can not only shelter large fish, creating a "spillover effect" that benefits surrounding fisheries , but also generate massive economic benefits through ecotourism, helping fishing villages reverse poverty (such as whale shark tourism in Cebu, Philippines, and Hanauma Bay in Hawaii). Regarding international trends, the United Nations has established the "30x30" target, aiming to protect 30% of the global ocean by 2030 , and has officially adopted the "High Seas Treaty" (BBNJ Agreement), extending the scope of protection to deep-sea areas beyond national jurisdiction. Addressing Taiwan's current situation, Professor Shao notes that although Taiwan has designated 71 marine protected areas , the actual proportion of fully no-take zones is extremely low, and it faces the dilemma of insufficient management enforcement. To meet international challenges, Taiwan must implement the "Marine Conservation Act" in accordance with the law and actively inventory and certify "Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs)". If strictly managed and free from interference, artificial facilities including offshore wind farms, artificial reef zones, CPC's Yung-An LNG Port, and Ho-Ping Industrial Port all have the potential to become new sanctuaries for marine life. The restoration of marine ecosystems cannot be achieved single-handedly. In his conclusion, Professor Shao urges that the government must break down the departmentalism across ministries, share responsibilities among various units, and promote the open sharing of information. Only through integrated governance and collective action by all citizens can we reverse the declining trend of resources and achieve the sustainable vision of "living in harmony with nature" by 2050.

Implemented by Department of Earth and Life Science
Date: 2026/05/19