Rebecca Manzi A Greenpeace East Asia study reveals a worrying reduction in the size of 24 fish species in Taiwan's port markets, indicating a serious problem of overexploitation and threat to marine biodiversity
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Taiwan is home to an incredibly rich marine biodiversity. However, the fish stocks that support the local population are declining. This troubling trend was uncovered by Greenpeace East Asia volunteers over the course of a year-long investigation. They conducted a comprehensive study of the fish markets in six major fishing ports across Taiwan to monitor the state of local fish resources.
Signs of overfishing and declining fish sizes
The investigation revealed worrying signs of overfishing and a reduction in the sizes of fish. Specifically, Greenpeace volunteers, working with experts and researchers, collected data on 40 common fish species. They found that for 24 of these species, over half of the samples did not reach the length at which they could reproduce (Lm50).
Unsustainable fishing practices
This finding indicates that many species are being caught before they have the chance to reproduce adequately, highlighting the overexploitation of fish resources. The research, published on Issuu by Greenpeace East Asia, shows that species such as the white hairtail and the black scorpionfish are particularly affected, with over 97% of samples not reaching reproductive maturity.
Long-term sustainability at risk
This situation is alarming because it suggests that current fishing practices may not be sustainable in the long term, endangering marine biodiversity and food security for local communities. The shrinking size of fish species is a clear sign of overfishing, a condition where the rate of fish removal exceeds their reproductive capacity. This imbalance threatens not only the sustainability of fish resources but also the food security of local communities that rely on these resources.
