Rescuing Siaoliouciou Island’s Dying Coral

Siaoliouciou Island is a coral reef island that boasts unique topography, and the coastline is dotted with coral reefs forming many beautiful caves. Moreover, there are also hundreds of sea turtles, the main reason why tourists flock to the island each year. Sadly, despite once being ranked No.1 for coral reefs in Taiwan, the coral reefs are now ranked bottom due to the detrimental impact of an inadequate sewage treatment system and overdevelopment.

According to a survey by the Ocean Conservation Administration, the percentage of live coral cover has dropped to less than 10% and is now in peril. It is difficult to answer what methods we should employ to restore the coral to its former state or how the authorities should raise public awareness to protect our beautiful reefs. To solve the problem, we must control the flow of tourists, but this will affect the economic development of Siaoliouciou Island; therefore, the answer to saving our jeopardized coral reefs is a conundrum the Taiwanese authorities have yet to solve.

以下為中文對照

搶救失能的珊瑚礁島

小琉球是座珊瑚礁島，地形特殊，海岸被隆起的珊瑚礁圍繞，形成許多優美岩洞。還有上百隻海龜，也是吸引大量觀光客，到此遊玩主要原因。而相對的污水處理，管路建構不足，人為開發破壞，讓原是全台珊瑚資源最多的島嶼，變成珊瑚資源最後一名。

海保署調查，目前小琉球珊瑚覆蓋率已小於一成，處於失去結構與功能的狀態。我們該如何讓小琉球，珊瑚復育回到以往盛況，相關的公部門又該如何宣導，以避免美麗的礁島覆滅為當前重要的議題。若管制觀光人流，勢必影響小琉球經濟發展，該如何搶救失能的珊瑚礁島，則考驗管理者智慧。