Officials are celebrating the success of an ocean cleanup project in the waters of Taitung. Sanxiantai Nature Reserve lies underneath a large bridge. It was once synonymous with ocean pollution. But after 20 years of ecosystem restoration, Sanxiantai is getting cleaner every day. Many new species have moved into the area, and the coral reef is thriving. We followed a group of divers underneath the waves to get a firsthand look.
Down here 30 meters below the ocean surface, we find an enormous bed of pink scallops. These handsome creatures are also known as Ocean Dreamcatchers. They give the ocean floor a stunning splash of pink as they sway with the ocean currents.
Look closely, and you spot pygmy seahorses hidden among the scallops. The world’s smallest seahorses are no more than 2 centimeters long, and only live in clean waters. Taitung’s Sanxiantai Nature Reserve is famously located underneath a massive bridge but is home to a magnificent and rich ecosystem.
Voice of Yu Ming-hung
Diving coach
The ecology is very rich. At 30 meters, there’s a lot of this coral, which is the landowner for the seahorses. There are pygmy seahorses on almost every patch.
Diving volunteer
The first time I came diving on Taiwan’s East Coast, it was much more beautiful under the water than I had imagined. There’s such a richness of soft and hard corals, loads of species of fish, and it’s a much nicer temperature than we imagine.
A dozen diving volunteers kit up in full gear and go down to the ocean floor to pick up litter. They cut off fishing nets that have wrapped themselves around the coral reef. Twenty-odd years ago, these waters went through sand erosion and a pileup of pollution. The East Coast Administration has been gradually clearing the area up for many years. With the help of many volunteers from the general public, the water quality has gradually been restored.
Tai Chang-feng
Taiwan ocean scholar
The water quality has improved a lot. It’s quite clear now. Local residents have been cleaning it regularly, so there’s not much litter to be found anymore. Certain species that like cleaner waters, that used to only be in Kenting or Green Island, are living here now.
Lin Wei-ling
East Coast Administration chief
We started doing ocean surveys in 2016 and continued ever since. We hope the ocean cleanup working holidays will help more people know that we have such a successful, excellent ocean ecosystem in Sanxiantai.
Taitung’s rich ocean life is gradually returning, over many years’ consistent work. Experts have found more than 250 distinct species here. Officials hope the area will become a diving hotspot in the future.