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Introduction to Taiwan’s marine protected areas

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Taiwan’s specifications pertaining to marine protected areas are currently distributed among different competent authority regulations. Each responsible agency plans and sets up different types of marine areas according to its governing laws. Each agency and area also has different protection targets, management objectives, and conservation methods. For example, wildlife conservation areas are for conserving species and diversity; national parks cover conservation, research, and education/leisure; fishery resource conservation areas are for conserving aquatic resources; and nature conservation areas are for preserving the original status of special geographical resources of natural areas. National scenic areas, on the other hand, are for developing tourism and the sustainable management of natural and cultural tourism resources.  

The Fengbin Fishery Resource Conservation Area established according to the “Fisheries Act” The Fengbin Fishery Resource Conservation Area established according to the “Fisheries Act”

In 2010, the competent authority for marine protected areas, the Fisheries Agency under the Council of Agriculture, defined marine protected areas based on IUCN as “areas extending from the average high tide line out towards the sea for a certain distance and possessing special natural landscape, important cultural heritage, or sustainable ecological resources that must be protected or managed according to the law or other effective methods.” The Fisheries Agency also recognized that Taiwan’s marine protected areas should be planned according to the “Fisheries Act,” “National Park Law,” “Wetland Conservation Act” , “Wildlife Conservation Act,” “Cultural Heritage Preservation Act,” and the “Act for the Development of Tourism.” As of September 2024, there are 70marine protected areas in Taiwan with an area of approximately 5401.18 km2 (after deducting an overlapping area of 3.88 km2), accounting for 8.38 % of Taiwan’s offshore borders and domestic water area + Kinmen, Matsu, and Taiping Island’s restricted marine area of 64,473 km2 (data provided by the Ministry of the Interior).

If converted based on Taipei City’s administrative area of 272 km2, Taiwan has a marine protected area of approximately 20 Taipei City in size.

Of this area, national parks account for the biggest proportion at 83.49%, followed by the marine wildlife habitat at 14.13%, important wetlands at 2.53%, aquatic organism propagation and conservation zones at 0.97%, marine resources protected areas at 0.89%, marine wildlife refuges at 0.13%, and nature reserve at 0.02%. The areas are listed below:

1. One important wildlife habitat environment and five wildlife conservation areas established according to the “Wildlife Conservation Act” (under the jurisdiction of the Ocean Conservation Administration, OAC).
2. Four national parks that include marine areas established according to the “National Park Law” (under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, MOI).
3.  Twenty-two important wetlands established according to the “Wetland Conservation Act” (under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, MOI).
4. Twenty-nine fishery resource conservation areas established according to the “Fisheries Act” (under the jurisdiction of the Fisheries Agency, MOA).
5.Three nature conservation areas and three natural monuments established according to the “Cultural Heritage Preservation Act” (under the jurisdiction of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, MOA and the Ocean Conservation Administration, OAC ).
6. Two marine resource conservation areas established in national scenic areas according to the “Act for the Development of Tourism” and “Urban Planning Law” (under the jurisdiction of the Tourism Administration, MOTC).

The Matsu Island Tern Conservation Area established according to the “Wildlife Conservation Act” The Matsu Island Tern Conservation Area established according to the “Wildlife Conservation Act”

At the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the end of 2022, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was formulated as a guideline for countries to implement by 2030. This framework serves as the basis for promoting biodiversity conservation. It includes four visions and 23 specific goals. Among these, specific goal 3 stipulates that by 2030, countries should conserve at least 30% of land and inland waters through effective means, such as establishing protected areas or designating other effective conservation measures (OECMs). This goal also envisions the protection of marine, coastal, and oceanic areas, with an emphasis on respecting the rights and traditional uses of indigenous peoples, local communities, and others in protected areas—commonly referred to as the 30x30 goal.

As of 2024, the proportion of global marine protected areas is 8.19%, covering an area of 29,673,535 square kilometers.This includes approximately 7.32% of areas under national jurisdiction (national waters) and 0.87% of international waters (Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, ABNJ). Within national waters, which make up 39% of the global ocean area, 26,508,358 square kilometers are designated as protected areas, accounting for 18.76% of this water area. In international waters (ABNJ), which constitute 61% of the global ocean, only 1.44% is designated as a protected area (source: https://protectedplanet.net/marine). The OCA will continue to strive to meet the latest conservation targets.

Marine protected Areas Integration Platform

Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone
1_Yilan County_Toucheng Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone 2_Yilan County_Suao Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone 3_Hualien County_Xiaohu Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone 4_Hualien County_Shuilian Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone
5_Hualien County_Shitiping Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone 6_Hualien County_Gaoshan Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone 7_Hualien County_Fengbin Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone 8_Hualien County_Yanliao Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone
9_Kinmen County_Kinmen Kuningtou Northwest Intertidal Terrain Horseshoe Crab Conservation Area 10_Pingtung County_Checheng Aquatic Plants and Animals Reproduction Conservation Area 11_Pingtung County_Liuqiu Aquatic Plants and Animals Reproduction Conservation Area 12_Pingtung County_Resources Nursing Area of National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium
13_Miaoli County_Wanwa Venus Clam Breeding Conservation Area 14_Keelung City_Keelung City Aquatic Plants and Animals Conservation Area 15_Keelung City_Wanghaixiang Chaojing Bay Resource Conservation Area 16_New Taipei City_Gongliao Aquatic Plants and Animals Reproduction Conservation Area
17_New Taipei City_Ruifang Conservation Area 18_New Taipei City_Wanli Aquatic Plants and Animals Reproduction Conservation Area 19_Changhua County_Wanggong Mud Shrimp Breeding Conservation Area 20_Changhua County_Shengang (2) Mud Shrimp Breeding Conservation Area
21_Changhua County_Shengang Mud Shrimp Breeding Conservation Area 22_Taitung County_Xiaoma Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone 23_Taitung County_Xiaogang Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone 24_Taitung County_Yiwan Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone
25_Taitung County_Fushan Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone 26_Taitung County_Ludao Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone 27_Penghu County_Qimei Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone 28_Penghu County_Xiaomen Aquatic Organisms Propagation and Conservation Zone
29_New Taipei City_Yehliu Aquatic Plants and Animals Reproduction Conservation Area 30_Yilan County_Dongao Aquatic Plants and Animals Reproduction Conservation Area    
National Park Marine Protected Area
31_Kaohsiung City_Dongsha Atoll National Park 32_Penghu County_South Penghu Marine National Park 33_Pingtung County_Kenting National Park 34_Tainan City_Taijiang National Park
Wildlife Refuge & Major Wildlife Habitat
35_Penghu County_Penghu County Mao Islet Seabird Refuge 36_Keelung City_Mianhua and Huaping Islets Wildlife Refuge 37_Penghu County_Penghu County Wangan Island Green Turtle Nesting Refuge 38_Lienchiang County_Matsu Islands Tern Refuge
39_Taoyuan City_Taoyuan Guanxin Algal Reefs Ecosystem Wildlife Refuge 40_Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin_Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Major Wildlife Habitat    
Nature Reserves and Natural Monument
41_Penghu County_Penghu Columnar Basalt Nature Reserve 42_Penghu County_Penghu South Sea Columnar Basalt Nature Reserve 43_Penghu County_Fanzishi Natural Monument 44_Lienchiang County_Confucius on the Sea Natural Monument
45_Penghu County_Lava pool and volcanic neck in Xiwei Village, Magong City 46_Pingtung County_Xuhai-Guanyinbi Nature Reserve    
Marine Resources Protected Area
47_New Taipei City_Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area (Marine Resources Protected Area) 48_Taitung County_Ludao Haishenping to Fanchuanbi Marine Resources Conservation Area 空白隔頁空白隔頁 空白隔頁空白隔頁
Important Wetland
49_Tainan City_Beimen Important Wetland 50_Taitung County_Beinan Estuary Important Wetland 51_Tainan City_Zengwun Estuary Important Wetland 52_Hsinchu City_Siangshan Important Wetland
53_Chiayi County、Tainan City_Bajhang Estuary Important Wetland 54_Taichung City_Gaomei Important Wetland 55_Chiayi County_Puzih Estuary Important Wetland 56_Miaoli County_Xihu Important Wetland
57_Hualien County_Hualien Estuary Important Wetland 58_Chiayi County_Haomeiliao Important Wetland 59_Tainan City_Yanshuei Estuary Important Wetland 60_Taichung City、Changhua County_Dadu Estuary Important Wetland
61_Tainan City_Cigu Salt Pan Important Wetland 62_Yilan County_Wuwei Harbor Important Wetland 63_Hsinchu County_Sinfong Important Wetland 64_Yilan County_Lanyang Estuary Important Wetland
65_Penghu County_Chingluo Important Wetland 66_Lienchiang County_Cingshuei Important Wetland 67_Taoyuan City_Xucuogang Important Wetland 68_Penghu County_Caiyuan Important Wetland
69_Yunlin County_Yiwu Important Wetland 70_Taipei City、New Taipei City_Danshuei River Important Wetland    

 
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  • Update： 2024-12-11
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Ocean Conservation Administration, Ocean Affairs Council
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  • Last Updated：2025-01-08
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