The surveys of fishery beings and net-fishing behaviors in Green Island

Project Duration	2005-12-31 ~ 2006-12-30
Research Title	The surveys of fishery beings and net-fishing behaviors in Green Island
Contracted Organization	East Taiwan Research Association Culture and Arts Foundation
Principal Investigator	Lee Yu-Fen
Co-Principal Investigator	Chiang Wei-Chuan
Keywords	Fishery composition, harvested species, fishermen, fishery transformation, Green Island
Abstract	At present, fishing operations on Green Island include a total of 11 types of gear and methods, categorized into hook-and-line gear, net gear, and miscellaneous fishing gear. Harvested organisms include 280 species of fishes, 4 species of mollusks, 9 species of arthropods, and 2 species of algae. These findings provide important baseline information for future marine park planning. The majority of fishermen on Green Island are between 30 and 59 years old, and approximately 50% have completed primary school education. More than two-thirds are part-time fishermen whose fishing income accounts for less than half of their total annual income; many also engage in tourism-related work. Full-time fishermen earn an average annual fishing income of approximately NT$600,000. Most fishermen utilize multiple types of fishing gear and techniques. Approximately 30 professional spearfishermen operate along the coral reef coasts. Many of them also participate in tourism-related work and could serve as valuable human resources for coral reef conservation and ecotourism development on Green Island. However, due to limited financial capacity, fishermen face difficulties transitioning to tourism-oriented recreational fishing operations. Increased government financial support would be necessary to facilitate this transformation. Overall, the study highlights the current composition of fishery resources and socio-economic conditions of fishermen, providing a foundation for sustainable fishery management and potential transition toward tourism-based development on Green Island.