Fundamental investigation of marine ecological resources of Dongsha Waters

Project Duration	2004-12-31 ~ 2005-12-30
Research Title	Fundamental investigation of marine ecological resources of Dongsha Waters
Contracted Organization	Coral Reef Society of the Republic of China
Principal Investigator	Cheng Ming-Hsiu
Co-Principal Investigators	Shao Kwang-Tsao, Tai Chang-Feng, Chen Cheng-Ping, Lin Hsiu-Mei, Meng Pei-Chieh
Project Participants	Liu Hung-Chang, Lin Hsin-Yu, Chen Teng-Sung, Hung Hsin-Yi, Chang Cheng-Mao
Keywords	Fishes, corals, mollusks, echinoderms, crustaceans, macroalgae
Abstract	Dongsha waters represent Taiwan’s first Marine National Park, with the planned boundary extending 12 nautical miles from the outer atoll, covering a total area of approximately 565 km². The purpose of this study was to establish baseline ecological data for marine resources in Dongsha as a foundation for future park management. The preliminary survey focused on fishes, corals, invertebrates, algae, water quality analysis, and the establishment of a comprehensive database. To date, 531 fish species, 250 coral species, 167 mollusk species, 27 echinoderm species, 31 crustacean species, and 148 macroalgal species have been recorded. Fish species richness followed the pattern: outer atoll stations > near Dongsha Island > inner atoll lagoon stations. Average coral cover within the inner lagoon was below 15%, while outer atoll coral cover exceeded 75%. The northern outer atoll was dominated by soft corals, whereas the eastern and southern sectors were dominated by stony corals. Following the severe coral bleaching event in 1998 within the atoll, many algal and benthic invertebrate species declined in abundance compared to the outer atoll. Due to past illegal and excessive fishing, many economically important marine species in these waters are now threatened or near local extinction. Water samples were collected from 15 coastal stations for analysis. Eight of these were designated as fixed stations with satellite positioning, intended for long-term ecological monitoring. All collected data have been compiled into a database and made available online for public access and download. The establishment of Dongsha Marine National Park aims to conserve marine biodiversity and serve as a living museum for preserving marine resource heritage. To ensure sustainable fisheries, the establishment of marine protected areas within park waters is an urgent priority.