In October, our Headquarters, together with the Penghu County Aquaculture Breeding Center, traveled to the waters of Penghu South Four Islands National Park to release juvenile trochus snails (Tectus niloticus). Through the protection of the local marine ecosystem, we hope the species will reproduce and gradually disperse to other waters around Penghu. During the same trip, an underwater survey was conducted following typhoon impacts. The investigation found that although nearshore coral reefs had sustained slight damage, the situation was not severe. The partial coral bleaching observed in late August had also subsided as water temperatures decreased.
In addition, our Headquarters signed a cooperation agreement in 2013 with the Penghu County Government Agriculture and Fisheries Bureau and National Sun Yat-sen University to promote marine scientific research, coral reef ecological restoration, and environmental education. Ecological restoration efforts are supported by the County’s hatchery facilities, focusing primarily on species such as trochus snails and giant clams that help restore and improve habitat conditions. Trochus snails are herbivorous gastropods. Due to their relatively large size, they have often been harvested for food. Although they were once distributed in Penghu waters, they are now rarely seen. Because of their effective control of algae, broodstock collection and restoration efforts have been conducted in Dongsha waters since 2013, with hatchery-produced juveniles released back into Dongsha and selected Penghu waters.
In July of this year, a survey at Dongji Islet found that previously released trochus snails, which had an average shell length of about 1.5 cm at the time of release, had grown to over 5 cm. Therefore, on October 3, an additional 2,500 juvenile trochus snails were released in reef areas around Dongji Islet, Xiji Islet, and Chutou Islet. These sites were selected for their relatively low levels of human disturbance, providing a safer environment for the juveniles to grow and reproduce.
Furthermore, Typhoons Meranti and Megi this summer caused damage to coastal waters across Taiwan. However, underwater field surveys conducted at Dongji Islet, Xiji Islet, and Dongyuping Islet revealed that coral damage was not severe. Most affected corals were fast-growing and resilient species such as branching Acropora, foliose Montipora, and soft corals, which are expected to recover after a period of rest. The coral bleaching reported in late August was not observed during this survey, likely due to lower water temperatures that helped alleviate the bleaching phenomenon.
The waters of Penghu South Four Islands are renowned for their spectacular coral formations, particularly the large aggregations of table-shaped Acropora and foliose Montipora. These awe-inspiring underwater landscapes are among our most precious natural assets and require the joint efforts of all to ensure their sustainable preservation for future generations.
Conservation and Research Division