HUALIEN (TVBS News) — Hualien County (花蓮縣), a picturesque coastal region on Taiwan's rugged eastern shore, will initiate an ambitious fishing net recycling program Friday (June 20) in partnership with the Hualien District Fishermen's Association (花蓮區漁會), the local fishing industry organization. County environmental officials have set an aggressive target to collect and process 45 metric tons of abandoned fishing gear this year, part of a broader strategy to combat marine pollution and advance sustainable practices in Taiwan's fishing communities.
The county's Environmental Protection Bureau (花蓮縣政府環保局), the local government agency responsible for pollution control and waste management, has designated a central collection facility in the public plaza outside the Fishermen's Association headquarters. Officials have structured a financial incentive program that will compensate fishermen between NT$10 to NT$15 (approximately US$0.34 to US$0.51) per kilogram for their discarded nets, with payment rates varying based on the condition and recyclability of the materials submitted.
The collected fishing gear will undergo sorting and processing before being transformed into raw materials for consumer products including clothing items and backpacks, a conversion process that environmental assessments indicate will reduce energy consumption by 15% and slash carbon emissions by nearly half compared to using virgin materials. County representatives emphasized the environmental urgency behind the initiative, noting that abandoned fishing nets pose particularly severe ecological hazards when left unmanaged, frequently ensnaring marine creatures from turtles to dolphins and creating widespread disruption to delicate ocean ecosystems.
Research cited by county officials indicates that discarded fishing equipment constitutes approximately 10% of the annual plastic pollution entering marine environments worldwide. These abandoned nets, often referred to as "ghost nets" by conservationists, gradually degrade into microscopic plastic particles that contaminate the oceanic food web and eventually present potential health hazards to human consumers of seafood. The Hualien initiative represents a collaborative approach between government agencies and the private fishing sector, with authorities framing the program as consistent with United Nations sustainable development frameworks that prioritize ocean conservation and responsible consumption patterns in coastal communities. ◼
