Under the guidance of our teachers, we reached the Fisheries Agency. Today we were going to interview Mr. Shieh Dah Wen, Director-general of the Fisheries Agency. Once seeing us, Mr. Shieh asked us if we liked eating fish. The teachers and mothers there strongly nodded their heads without any doubt, but we, children, were still thinking how to reply to it.
At that moment, a child said, “I like eating crabs!” Once hearing this, Mr. Shieh smiling said, “No difference at all! It is more healthy to eat seafood than meat!” We thought this for a while and all agreed to this, saying, “I like eating squid! I like clam! I like shrimps!” Once hearing all these, Mr. Shieh was very happy and shared some pictures of fishery resources with us.
As for artificial reefs, according to Mr. Shieh, the Fisheries Agency deployed four types of artificial reefs: cement, steel, warships, and electric poles. Artificial reef deployment has started since 1973 and proceeded on a large-scale between 1982 and 1996. However, on the one hand, artificial reef deployment cultivated fishery resources; on the other hand, just because of large-scale artificial reef deployment, the practice of trawling and gill netting for fish harvesting was significantly restricted, and even caused conflicts between the government and fishermen. However, fortunately with time, fishermen came to recognize the benefits of artificial reef deployment, so traditional netting fishermen accepted this policy and even changed their fishing method.
From 1999 till now, the government has properly used waste electric poles and discharged warships to make and deploy artificial reefs, so that the cost benefits of artificial reefs became more diversified in nature. Additionally, the government also has started to provide fishermen associations guidance in setting up artificial reef maintenance & control mechanisms, so that the materials and functions of artificial reefs can effectively be transformed, and fishermen can now manage these artificial reefs. At this stage, coral transplantation has been deployed on artificial reefs, so that the structures and functions of artificial reefs become close to natural coral reefs, thereby speeding up the cultivation of fishery resources.

According to Mr. Shieh, Taiwan is an island, so fishing industry has long played a major role in the overall economic development. As the fishing industry is an industry highly dependent on the regenerative functions of sea creatures, we naturally hope that fishery resources can exist perpetually. As a result of this, the objectives of the government are: conservation of sea creatures, biodiversity, creation of a distinguished ocean environment, and the perpetual use of fishery resources.
Since 1973, the government has launched artificial reef deployment for more than thirty years, actively created a distinguished ocean environment, and directed the diversified development of eco-tourism, entertainment, educational, and cultural activities. We believe that through the launching of artificial reef deployment, the coastal fishery industry will definitely become more diversified.
In addition to artificial reef deployment, Mr. Shieh also gave us a proper fish-eating culture, so that everyone can fully use ocean resources and also love oceans. With the support of the people in the Fisheries Agency, we sincerely hope that the fishing industry will become better, and oceans will also become more beautiful.