Taiwan Today

Public-private conservation cooperation sows soft power and builds partnerships beyond borders.

The shallow tropical waters along the coast of Kenting National Park in southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County teem with aquatic life that draws scuba divers from around the world. Expert instructors and knowledgeable guides at local dive shops train enthusiastic new recreational divers and offer exploratory tours to curious visitors. CTdiver, based in nearby Hengchun Township, provides not only equipment and guided dive tours but also opportunities to engage in citizen science and protect the environment. The shop has worked with New Taipei City-based Taiwan Environmental Information Association (TEIA) since 2020 to collect data on corals and other marine life in two spots in the national park. When the Cabinet-level Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) launched its Coral Guardian annual reef survey last year, it commissioned 25 dive centers around the country to assist, and CTdiver subsequently began to supervise another two locations in Kenting.

“We’re glad to monitor and improve the health of coral reefs,” said Tony Wu (吳啟瑞), one of the founders of CTdiver. “Acting responsibly enriches our customers’ dive experiences. It’s good business.” Survey results from the TEIA project are submitted to Reef Check, an international nongovernmental organization that undertakes coral reef protection worldwide, while Coral Guardian members’ results contribute to local knowledge that regional and central administrations can reference for reef restoration plans.

Living Waters
Coral reefs, as habitats and breeding sites for a wealth of species, have a ripple effect on biodiversity levels in the ocean. OCA Deputy Director-General Shih Yi-che (施義哲) emphasized that coral conservation is in line with U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “SDG14 calls on the world to protect life below water,” he explained. “Coral reefs are also natural wave barriers that slow down coastal erosion.”

Coral colonies thrive in shallow, sunlit waters like those along Taiwan’s northeast coast and around its southern offshore islands. According to the most recent comprehensive survey in 2023, the average coral cover at 62 sampling spots around the country was 38 percent. As a result of public-private conservation projects, Shih expects to see even better results after the next nationwide survey is published in 2027.

Grassroots support and citizen science play an important role in coral conservation. In addition to Coral Guardian, OCA has organized campaigns since 2021 to encourage local residents to remove debris in coastal waters and create a healthier environment for marine life. The initiative began with 10 dive centers, but the number of participants has more than tripled. Last year nearly 6,000 dive instructors and enthusiasts joined the OCA’s ocean cleanups, removing 17.8 metric tons of plastic and other types of waste that suffocate corals.

Environmental protection groups around Taiwan also make use of OCA tools, among them 2020’s iOcean, to report on the health of the marine environment. iOcean was set up as an interactive website where the public can check and report on the state of coastal marine areas. It includes sections on water quality, debris management, marine biodiversity and fishing activity, as well as a geographic information platform. The public can find and contribute to information resources, which enriches the marine conservation database. Earlier this year the OCA took timely action to control the population of a significant coral predator, the crown-of-thorns starfish, surrounding Qimei, a small island in outlying Penghu County, as data submitted by conservationists and concerned locals through iOcean and other channels revealed coral loss due to an unusual spike in starfish numbers.

Embedded Responsibility
Marine and coral conservation are important strands in corporate social responsibility workstreams for commercial entities, and they are receiving encouragement from the government. In February the OCA began matching enterprises with organizations and academics that possess the knowledge to take positive action. Corporate social responsibility examples are shared on an OCA-managed ocean conservation partnership platform, benefiting companies’ commercial profiles and acting as models for other businesses. The OCA noted a strong corollary from the public platform, as now around 30 corporations are either in discussion or already working in tandem with experts to improve the marine environment.

Corporate sponsorship was leveraged by the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology (NMMST), located in the northern coastal city of Keelung. According to NMMST Director General Wang Ming-yuan (王明源), the museum has long had an interest in marine protection, and in 2016 Keelung City Government and NMMST established the Chaojing Marine Protected Area in Badouzi, with the museum overseeing its management. Through the Delta Electronics Foundation (DEF), set up by Taipei City-headquartered Delta Electronics Inc., the museum opened the Chaojing Coral Conservation Center in 2023.

The foundation donated NT$30 million (US$1 million) to build a technologically sophisticated and energy-efficient structure that shelters large tanks for growing about 40 coral species found in Badouzi and nearby areas, including those that are endangered. NMMST’s careful stewardship at Chaojing has resulted in an overall improvement of the marine environment, increasing the chances of survival for replanted coral fragments as well as the regrowth of existing organisms. A survey carried out by the museum last year indicated that coral coverage in the marine protected area has reached 40 percent, up from 35 percent in 2017.

Polyp Power
Marine conservation is proving an effective soft power tool. The museum and DEF invited famed zoologist Jane Goodall to visit the coral conservation center in June. Her presence simultaneously raised awareness of the issue within Taiwan and the country’s profile in the field. Now the foundation is partnering with the Jane Goodall Institute to integrate coral conservation education into the latter’s Roots and Shoots program using a popular science picture book published by DEF in 2024.

The foundation has also worked with Singapore’s National Parks Board and National University of Singapore to build a coral culture center on the Southeast Asian country’s St. John’s Island, which is home to aquaculture research and development facilities. Completed in December 2024, the center nurtures coral fragments to be planted throughout the region. By providing cutting-edge monitoring and control technology for use in the building of the center, DEF’s marine conservation is part of a rising tide of Taiwan soft power.

Other institutions in Taiwan are deepening coral-related ties with regional partners. Kaohsiung City-based National Academy of Marine Research in southern Taiwan signed a memorandum of understanding with the Palau International Coral Reef Center in 2023 as part of deeper cooperation between Taiwan and its Pacific ally. The Taiwanese Coral Reef Society and its Japanese counterpart inked a similar pact in 2024 to facilitate information sharing and personnel exchanges.

These international linkages align with Taiwan’s broader conservation strategy. Shih noted that the administration draws up coral conservation plans in line with international standards and best practices recommended by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network. The international organization provides constantly updated scientific information on the status and trends of coral reef ecosystems to better conserve and manage them. “Improving biodiversity is a global trend. We actively address the issue, contribute to cross-border research and build international relations with neighboring countries to improve the health of coral reefs,” Shih said.

Write to Oscar Chung at mhchung@mofa.gov.tw