To explore global trends in marine industry development and human resource cultivation, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) held the 2025 National Maritime Talent Development Forum today (Sep 1) at the City Suites – Kaohsiung Chenai. The event attracted more than 100 participants from across Taiwan’s public, private, and academic sectors, uniting professionals to share best practices in talent development and to outline a clear blueprint for the future of Taiwan’s blue economy workforce.
 
Under the theme “From Industry to Competency: Developing Talent for a New Ocean Future,” the forum featured 10 distinguished speakers from both within and outside NAMR. Among them were Director Keng-Hua Kuo of the Workforce Development Agency’s Kaohsiung-Pingtung-Penghu-Taitung Regional Branch, Director Kuo-Ting Chou of the Environmental Education Certification Center, Researcher Emma Chu from the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre, Professor Fu-Man Hsieh of Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages, Chairman Chung-Min Wu of the Coatings Technology Committee of the Corrosion Engineering Association of RC, and COO Chia-I Lu of the Association for the Promotion of Leisure Activities for People with Disabilities, among others. Each expert shared insights from their respective fields, highlighting Taiwan’s achievements in nurturing marine professionals and developing specialized ocean-related competencies.
 
NAMR President Chung-Ling Chen emphasized that as the marine industry undergoes transformation and faces the challenges of sustainability and global competition, Taiwan must establish localized competency frameworks and training systems to equip marine professionals with the skills needed to navigate the international stage. She noted that marine talent cultivation should not be confined to classrooms or laboratories; it must engage directly with markets and industry settings to align with real-world needs.
 
NAMR further stated that the forum not only promoted policy dialogue among government, academia, and industry but also gathered cross-sectoral perspectives from the private sector to inform future planning for talent development and industry training mechanisms. Looking ahead, NAMR will continue strengthening multi-sector collaboration to advance marine competency mapping and curriculum design, gradually building a comprehensive ecosystem for marine talent cultivation and enhancing the competitive edge of Taiwan’s blue industries.

The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) hosted the MDImageNet Indo-Pacific Forum today (October 12) at the IEAT Conference Center in Taipei. The event brought together international experts and research teams from Australia, Korea, Thailand, the United States, and Taiwan to promote the concept of AI-Ready Data Governance, a standardized management framework that ensures image datasets can be directly used for AI model training. The forum emphasized establishing a complete data governance chain—from collection and annotation to sharing and management—to guarantee that marine debris image datasets achieve consistent quality, traceability, and cross-border interoperability. This approach lays a solid foundation for AI applications and fosters regional collaboration in data collection, sharing, and governance across the Indo-Pacific region.
 
The project’s primary goal is to build an AI-Ready Marine Debris Image Dataset that can be accessed by AI teams and research institutions worldwide, rather than directly developing AI models. By creating high-quality, traceable, annotated image data, NAMR aims to enable future AI developers, including students and citizen science participants, to train models on a fair and consistent foundation.
 
International Experts Share Insights on AI and Database Applications
The forum, centered on the AI-Ready Marine Debris Image Dataset, opened with online remarks from NAMR President Chung-Ling Chen. President Chen emphasized that NAMR integrates Taiwan’s technological expertise with the knowledge and experience of its international partners to establish an AI-ready marine debris image dataset. The goal is to develop smarter, faster, and more coordinated tools to address the challenge of marine debris. Guided by the principle of turning data into action, she noted that NAMR’s mission extends beyond Taiwan to the Indo-Pacific and the global stage, striving to build a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable ocean for future generations.
The forum was moderated by Ning Yen, CEO of IndigoWaters Institute Co., Ltd., who has long been engaged in rapid marine debris screening. Discussions focused on how artificial intelligence and cross-border collaboration can enhance the efficiency and accuracy of marine debris monitoring while promoting data openness and public participation.
 
Experts from across the Indo-Pacific shared their experiences in AI and database applications. Researcher Jian-Wu Lai of NAMR introduced Taiwan’s MDImageNet Marine Debris Image Dataset, developed under the AI-Ready Data Governance framework to ensure consistency and traceability in data collection, labeling, classification, and management. The dataset adopts the marine debris classification system of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) and has accumulated over 20,000 images since 2023. The data are publicly accessible through the MDImageNet Marine Debris Image Dataset Platform (https://mdimagenet.namr.gov.tw/), incorporating Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and object detection technologies for real-time image recognition.
 
Lai noted that marine debris is diverse in form and heavily influenced by environmental factors. Without high-quality, standardized image data, AI applications in monitoring and management remain limited. Therefore, a dedicated dataset is essential to ensure consistent classification and foster cross-national cooperation. In July, NAMR hosted the Marine Debris Survey and MDImageNet Promotion Event at Yehliu, New Taipei City, encouraging the public to photograph debris with their phones and identify it instantly using AI, marking a new model for “tech-powered beach cleanups.”
 
From Thailand, Karun Mooksrisai and Hau Nguyen Cong of the Geoinformatics Center (GIC) at the Asian Institute of Technology presented the pLitter System Database. This innovative platform uses geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial technologies to monitor and manage plastic pollution.
Dr. Sunny Hong, founder of Our Sea of East Asia Network (OSEAN) in Korea, shared the Ocean Knight citizen science initiative and the Ocean Cloud data portal, demonstrating how AI and civic engagement can together build a national-scale marine debris monitoring system.
From the United States, Catherine Prunella of the NOAA Sea Grant Program discussed challenges in marine debris management in the U.S. and proposed new opportunities for community-based datasets and international collaboration.
Dr. Jack Greenshields from Australia’s Tangaroa Blue Foundation introduced the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) Database, which compiles data from thousands of cleanups across the country. The database helps identify sources and trends of pollution, driving targeted source reduction and policy reforms, while also exploring future applications of AI in image recognition technology.
 
Turning Data into Action: Advancing Plastic Reduction and Marine Sustainability
In addition to sharing international experiences, the forum also gathered expert feedback on the MDImageNet initiative, laying the groundwork for the upcoming 2026 MDImageNet Image Recognition Challenge. The competition will invite global teams to train next-generation image recognition models using real-world marine debris datasets, encouraging innovative applications that bring solutions into practice.
The forum took place as the second phase of the fifth round of intergovernmental negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty, convened in Geneva, Switzerland (August 5–14). By deepening exchanges between Taiwan and Indo-Pacific experts, the event allowed participants to gain insight into the latest global trends and best practices in AI and marine debris data management. Together, they reaffirmed a shared commitment to reducing plastic pollution and achieving long-term marine sustainability.

Surrounded by the ocean on all sides, Taiwan has long shared an inseparable bond with the sea. Yet in recent years, global climate change, habitat destruction, overfishing, and bycatch have caused a dramatic decline in fish populations. If this trend continues, future generations may no longer taste wild-caught fish or witness vibrant schools beneath the waves, and ichthyologists could one day struggle to collect research specimens. Recognizing the importance of fish diversity and the need for sustainable fisheries has become a shared global commitment.
 
The Many Fishes of Taiwan — What’s Your Name?
Understanding fish begins with identifying their species. Scientific papers cannot be published without precise species names, which form the foundation for reproducible and comparable research. Taiwan enjoys a uniquely advantageous geographic position — located on the edge of the vast Eurasian continental shelf, encompassing both deep-sea and continental shelf environments, and situated at the intersection of three major marine ecosystems. Its diverse oceanic habitats have given rise to exceptional species richness, fueling the vigorous growth of ichthyological research.
 
A Century of Accumulation: Five Generations Shaping Taiwan’s Ichthyological Legacy
Ichthyological taxonomy in Taiwan has a legacy spanning more than a century. Beginning in the mid-19th century, pioneers such as Robert Swinhoe (British consul), George Leslie Mackay (Canadian missionary), Tsunasuke Tada (Japanese technician), and Masamitsu Oshima (Japanese ichthyologist) laid the groundwork for ichthyological research on the island. Following World War II, scholars including Johnson T. F. Chen, Ming-Jenn Yu, Michael Hin-Kiu Mok, Kwang-Tsao Shao, and Chyng-Shyan Tzeng carried this legacy forward. Over five generations, Taiwanese ichthyologists have described more than 400 new species worldwide and recorded more than 1,000 new species in Taiwan, yielding an extraordinary body of work.
 
Hosting the 7th and 12th Indo-Pacific Fish Conferences: Showcasing Taiwan to the World
In 2005, Taiwan hosted the 7th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference (IPFC) for the first time, drawing nearly 600 renowned ichthyologists from around the world. The conference highlighted Taiwan’s remarkable achievements, including studies on endangered and extinct fish species, world-leading deep-sea fish aquaculture techniques, the first coral-reef fish surveys conducted at depths exceeding 100 meters, and the discovery of some of the world’s smallest fish, bringing international attention to Taiwan’s vibrant marine research community. During the conference, several new species were collected, including the Taiwan picnic seabream (Acanthopagrus taiwanensis), the torpedo fish (Torpedo formosa), and the shortnose ponyfish (Nuchequula mannusella), underscoring the distinctive nature of Taiwan’s ichthyological research. In September 2007, Taiwan was further invited to host the 2nd International Barcode of Life Conference, strengthening its global presence in molecular taxonomy. Continuing this legacy, Professor Wei-Jen Chen of the Institute of Fisheries Science at National Taiwan University hosted the 12th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference and the Asian Society of Ichthyologists Annual Meeting in June 2025, once again bringing the world’s ichthyologists to Taiwan and opening new avenues for international collaboration and research exchange.
 
From Specimens to Databases: Tracing the Past and Connecting the World through Taiwan’s Ichthyological Heritage
The latest issue of Marine Research (Vol. 5, No. 1), published by the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR), features the article “A Review of the Taxonomic History of Taiwan’s Fishes” by ichthyologists Kwang-Tsao Shao and Hsuan-Ching Ho. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of the key figures and milestones in Taiwan’s ichthyological taxonomy, examining the evolution of classification systems, the development of specimen collections, statistical records of fish species in databases, and the patterns and mechanisms shaping Taiwan’s fish biogeography. It also explores the taxonomy of fish eggs and larvae, cross-strait collaborations between Taiwan and mainland China, and the challenges and future outlook for ichthyological research, leaving a landmark record of Taiwan’s contribution to global fish taxonomy. A Must-Read!
 
Marine Research — A Key Platform for Marine Science in Taiwan
To deepen marine research in Taiwan and strengthen its connection with the global scientific community, the NAMR is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary studies across marine policy, resources, culture, science, industry, and engineering. With the mission of integrating national marine research capacity and expanding the horizons of marine science, NAMR launched the English academic journal Marine Research in 2021. The journal serves as an important platform for scholarly exchange and the publication of marine research achievements. For more information, please visit the journal’s official website (https://marres.namr.gov.tw/).

To mark the tenth anniversary of the Underwater Cultural Heritage Preservation Act, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) and the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture (BOCH) co-hosted the 2025 International Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage – Preserving and Sustaining Our Common Memories on July 23–24 at the National Science and Technology Museum in Kaohsiung. The conference brought together experts and scholars from the Netherlands, Spain, the United States, Australia, Japan, Korea, and Singapore, drawing nearly one hundred participants. The event showcased NAMR’s and BOCH’s collaboration with domestic and international academia in the field of underwater cultural heritage preservation.
The opening session (23rd) featured an opening address by BOCH Director-General Chi-Min Chen and NAMR President Chung-Ling Chen. Director-General Chen reflected on a decade of achievements since the enactment of the Act, including the official registration of eight shipwrecks under protection. He expressed hope for expanding public understanding of underwater cultural heritage through international, policy, and practical perspectives. Delivering her address entirely in Taiwanese to symbolize the connection between underwater heritage and local communities, President Chen emphasized Taiwan’s progress over the past decade in underwater archaeology, preservation, and education. She noted that NAMR and BOCH have witnessed these advances together and expressed her hope that the conference’s six key themes—marine spatial planning, climate change, protected area management, public participation, archaeological excavation and in-situ preservation, and coastal survey technology—would promote cross-disciplinary dialogue. She also highlighted how NAMR applies underwater technology in heritage research to enhance Taiwan’s visibility in the international underwater heritage arena.
Academician Chen-Hwa Tsang of Academia Sinica examined Taiwan’s legal, survey, monitoring, and international cooperation frameworks for underwater heritage, underscoring the importance of institutional integration and talent cultivation. Topics on the first day also covered marine spatial planning and the intersection of climate change with underwater heritage. Pei-Fu Wu, Inspector at the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC), noted the OAC’s efforts to promote the Marine Spatial Planning Act, aiming to include underwater cultural heritage in marine spatial management. He emphasized that underwater heritage is not only a protected object but also a potential policy tool for ensuring safety and advancing the blue economy. Professor Yu-Heng Tseng of the Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, shared findings from a two-year NAMR-commissioned research project that assessed the threats posed by sea-level rise and extreme weather to underwater cultural heritage. The study also proposed climate adaptation strategies to address the challenges brought about by rising seas and increasingly severe climatic events. Hans van Tilburg, formerly a Maritime Heritage Coordinator at the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States, emphasized that integrating underwater cultural heritage into marine spatial planning should not be confined to individual site reports or object inventories. Instead, he advocated for adopting the Maritime Cultural Landscape (MCL) framework, which extends heritage management to the ecosystem level and incorporates the perspectives of diverse stakeholders, cultural differences, and intangible heritage knowledge.
Dr. Meyer-Kaiser from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) introduced the concept of Maritime Heritage Ecology, proposing that, unlike natural reefs, shipwrecks often serve as “quasi-islands” that attract a greater diversity of marine life. Varmer, who represented the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in contributing to UNESCO’s 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage assessment report, shared how the United States employs the Marine Sanctuaries Law to safeguard underwater cultural heritage. He noted that natural heritage can also embody cultural value, underscoring the interconnectedness between nature and culture in marine conservation. From the Netherlands, Archaeologist Michiel Bartels presented over five decades of experience managing underwater cultural heritage around Texel Island, outlining both the threats faced and the solutions developed for effective preservation. Chiung-Hui Fu, an Assistant Research Fellow at NAMR, discussed how underwater technologies and modeling were used to develop a “Draft Guideline for Monitoring In-Situ Preservation of Underwater Cultural Heritage,” designed to uphold the Underwater Cultural Heritage Preservation Act’s principles of "in-situ conservation" and "in-situ monitoring."
On July 24, experts and scholars presented case studies on public participation, exploring how citizen science and multimedia technology can raise public awareness and engagement in underwater heritage protection. From Australia, Dr. Andrew Viduka of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water shared the GIRT Scientific Divers Program, which involves trained divers in the documentation and preservation of underwater heritage, enhancing community participation. Chiaki Katagiri, from the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education, introduced Okinawa’s approach to increasing public awareness and preservation of the Yarabubuchi Underwater Site through specialized diving courses. The forum concluded with a roundtable discussion co-chaired by NAMR President Chung-Ling Chen and BOCH Deputy Director-General Shang-Ying Lin. Domestic and international experts exchanged views on strengthening legal frameworks, integrating technology, enhancing public participation, and advancing international cooperation, reaching a consensus on future development directions.
NAMR emphasized that underwater cultural heritage is a precious legacy of human history and culture. Its preservation requires the integration of technology, institutional frameworks, and community engagement to achieve sustainable development through cross-disciplinary collaboration. Moving forward, NAMR and BOCH will continue to promote international exchange and technological sharing, reinforcing Taiwan’s role in protecting underwater cultural heritage across the Asia-Pacific region and preserving invaluable cultural and educational resources for generations to come.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and big data become global driving forces, using data analytics to tackle ocean issues has emerged as a pivotal focus for nations worldwide. To keep pace with this trend, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) has organized the NODASS Ocean Big Data Contest through the National Ocean Database and Sharing System (NODASS) since 2023. Now in its third year, the 2025 edition gathered 36 teams of high school and university students from across Taiwan to embark on a knowledge voyage that uses data as oars and creativity as sails. The 2025 3rd NODASS Ocean Big Data Contest Workshop was held in Kaohsiung from July 16 to 18, offering three days of training for young ocean enthusiasts in applying big data and AI programming to marine science. The program featured lectures by ocean scientists sharing the latest research findings and guided students on how to use NODASS in preparing for the upcoming competition.
 
Telling Stories with Data: Young Innovators Take on Ocean Challenges
In her welcoming remarks on July 17, NAMR President Chung-Ling Chen noted that the competition is more than a challenge—it is an opportunity to embed ocean literacy deeply in education from the ground up. Through hands-on engagement with marine data, students transform their appreciation for the ocean into meaningful understanding and responsible action. “The value of the NODASS Ocean Big Data Contest,” Chen said, “lies not only in solving current problems but also in cultivating future leaders with the ability to change the world.”
The workshop’s rich curriculum included practical sessions on the use of the NODASS system, Python data processing, and QGIS satellite imagery overlay taught by industry instructors. Technical staff from the National Science and Technology Council’s Oceanography Division introduced techniques for marine biological data analysis and spatial-temporal mapping of marine heatwaves. NAMR researchers also shared cross-disciplinary projects, including studies on near-inertial internal waves around Taiping Island in the Nansha Islands, environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis, and historical ocean mapping. Whether participants were coding beginners or advanced data explorers, each found new pathways for growth and discovery.
 
Art and Creativity: Interpreting Marine Data Through Imagination
Creativity becomes a vessel for expressing data-driven insights and inspiring emotional connections to ocean issues. The “Rooted Tree” team from Taipei Municipal Neihu Senior High School created illustrated works inspired by news reports on climate anomalies and natural disasters, transforming concern into scientific exploration of heatwave causes and impacts. “We are part of this planet,” the team explained. “The Earth’s environment needs our protection. With heatwaves happening more frequently, ecosystems are being damaged, corals are bleaching, and wildfires are spreading. Through our study of heatwaves, we hope to understand these disasters better, learn how to face them, and contribute our part to the world.”
 
Youth Set Sail Toward the Future with Data as Their Compass
“This is not just a competition—it is the beginning of a journey to explore the future.” The workshop also featured a special cross-border message from Dr. Hyoung Chul Shin, President of the Korea Society of Oceanography, who offered his encouragement to Taiwanese students, inspiring them to actively engage in marine sustainability and international collaboration.
According to the organizers, the workshop was designed to emphasize interdisciplinary integration and hands-on learning, enabling students to develop both practical skills and critical thinking in addressing marine challenges. The finalist teams will advance to the championship round in November, where they will apply what they have learned to propose innovative, feasible solutions and compete for the annual grand prize. Through this mission that unites science, data, and creativity, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) and young participants are together writing a new chapter in Taiwan’s ocean education. Looking ahead, these young “seeds” are expected to grow into the core force guiding the course toward a sustainable blue future.

After twenty years of tireless research both in the laboratory and at sea, Dr. Kwang-Tsao Shao and his team have completed the world’s first Eggs and Larvae of 500 Taiwan Fishes. Now featured in the Book Review column of Marine Research, Volume 5, Issue 1, published by the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR), this monumental work unfolds like an oceanic epic—documenting fish eggs and larvae from morphology to genetics. Each page brims with the vitality of science and life, offering an extraordinary glimpse into the ocean’s earliest and most intricate forms. Now, join the scientists in exploring the origins of life itself!
Tracing the story of a fish egg: from field collection to DNA identification.
Across two volumes and five chapters, the atlas guides readers through every step of discovery—from collecting fish eggs in the wild to decoding their DNA—revealing how scientists trace a single egg to its species name. The authors openly share their analytical process and experimental details, as if laying out their laboratory notes. Even readers without a scientific background can follow the logic and marvel at the precision behind each operation! DNA barcoding has shattered the limits of traditional identification—because genes don’t lie. Each entry is equipped with a QR code linking directly to databases, offering access to supplementary data and video materials. This multidimensional integration of print × molecular science × digital platform transforms Eggs and Larvae of 500 Taiwan Fishes into more than just an atlas; it becomes a living, ever-evolving repository of marine knowledge.
 
We Are Closer to the Ocean Than We Think
This is not just a reference book for scholars—it is written for everyone whose life is touched by the sea: teachers, students, aquaculture farmers, environmental volunteers, and even seafood lovers! Surrounded by water on all sides, the ocean is an inseparable part of everyday life in Taiwan. Through vivid imagery, detailed data, and interactive QR codes, Eggs and Larvae of 500 Taiwan Fishes unveils the secrets of marine life in a way that anyone can understand, regardless of background. It is not only an atlas, but also a key to knowing fish, understanding ecosystems, and reflecting on sustainability. As you turn its pages, you may find yourself asking: What should our relationship with the ocean truly be?
 
A Century in Perspective: The Golden Chronicle of Ichthyology in Taiwan
The latest issue of Marine Research (Vol. 5, No. 1), themed “The History and Current Status of Ichthyological Studies in Taiwan,” marks a major milestone in marine scholarship. Guest-edited by Professor Hong Young Yan, the issue compiles over a century of research achievements, tracing the evolution of Taiwan’s ichthyology, from the species-naming efforts of the 19th century to the revolutionary advances brought by modern DNA taxonomy. It stands as nothing less than a “chronicle of Taiwan’s ichthyological heritage.” In addition to Eggs and Larvae of 500 Taiwan Fishes, the issue features studies on salmon conservation, Indo-Pacific sailfish, and sea catfish, as well as a commemorative article honoring the late Professor Shih-Chieh Shen. For readers seeking to understand the path of marine research in Taiwan, this issue is the perfect place to begin.
 
An Invitation from the Blue: Are You Ready to Receive It?
Eggs and Larvae of 500 Taiwan Fishes is more than an atlas—it is a precious record of twenty years of dialogue between Taiwanese scientists and the sea. Its inclusion in the special issue of Marine Research is not only recognition of this remarkable achievement, but also a public invitation from the blue ocean, calling readers to see both the grandeur and the delicate beauty of marine life. For anyone who feels even a spark of curiosity about the sea, this book and this issue are well worth exploring. That vast blue world, once thought distant, contains stories that belong to us all—stories to understand, cherish, and protect.
 
Marine Research — A Key Platform for Marine Science in Taiwan
To deepen marine research in Taiwan and strengthen its connection with the global scientific community, the NAMR is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary studies across marine policy, resources, culture, science, industry, and engineering. With the mission of integrating national marine research capacity and expanding the horizons of marine science, NAMR launched the English academic journal Marine Research in 2021. The journal serves as an important platform for scholarly exchange and the publication of marine research achievements. For more information, please visit the journal’s official website https://marres.namr.gov.tw/.

The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) held the third session of the “Reading Taijiang - Educational Promotion Lecture Series” this morning (June 14) at the Wangcheng Community Activity Center in Anping District, Tainan City. The lecture, titled “Viewing Anping’s Landscape Transformation from Land, Sea, and Sky,” invited two local experts, Mr. Hsi-Tien Lin and Mr. I-Tian Chen, who have long been dedicated to the study and preservation of Anping’s heritage. Together, they guided the audience to rediscover the 400-year evolution of Anping’s landscape from multiple dimensions.
 
In her opening remarks, NAMR President Chung-Ling Chen noted that today’s Anping has undergone tremendous transformation—from the Dutch colonial era of Tayouan and Fort Zeelandia, through the Qing Dynasty port, the harbor construction during the Japanese period, to its emergence as a modern tourist hotspot. These transitions reflect not only the reshaping of its landforms and waterways but also the renewal of its settlements and topography as seen from an aerial perspective. She expressed her hope that by exploring Anping through the lenses of history, geography, and community, participants could rethink the profound connections between people and their land.
 
The lecture was organized around three major themes, tracing Anping’s historical footprints from land to sea to sky. The topics covered included the evolution of Anping from Tayouan in the Dutch period to Anping in the Qing Dynasty, the construction of the New Canal during Japanese rule, and the development of the modern Anping Port; the movement of the Anping Lighthouse, the transformation of canals and customs houses; and comparisons between old maps of Anping and recent aerial images showcasing its changing landscape. Mr. Lin, a long-time researcher of Anping’s history and author of The Ancient City of Taiwan: A Continuation, and Mr. Chen, known for his community development and field studies, jointly delivered an engaging lecture that blended historical insight with heartfelt storytelling. Their accessible approach captivated the audience, sparking enthusiastic discussion and interaction.
 
The event was commissioned by the NAMR and organized by the Department of History at National Cheng Kung University, with generous support from the Wangcheng Village Office, Ririho B&B, Anping New Vision, Deji Traditional Chinese Medicine Shop, and the Anping Chongyi Community Development Association. By combining historical geography with local memory, the lecture offered participants a vivid and multidimensional understanding of Anping’s history and fostered deeper community engagement with Taiwan’s rich maritime culture.

The 2025 International Symposium of Tropical Fish Ecological Conservation and Biodiversity (ISTFECB 2025) was successfully held on May 16, 2025 (Friday) at National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU). The event was co-organized by the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) and the Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute (TBRI). The symposium showcased the achievements of international and domestic collaborations in aquatic fish diversity research and the significant scientific progress that has been made in this field. The symposium covered a broad range of topics including tropical fish ecology, conservation, and biodiversity. Experts and scholars from six countries—Taiwan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea—participated in the event, presenting 17 oral research papers and 25 poster sessions. A number of distinguished ichthyologists were invited to share their latest findings. The presentations, spanning newly identified and newly recorded species, as well as the application of molecular biology techniques to ecological surveys and phylogenetic identification, were among the symposium's highlights.
Research presented during the event integrated ecological conservation and biodiversity studies from Taiwan into Southeast Asian rivers and marine areas, including collaborative work in the waters of Taiping Island (Itu Aba) in the Nansha (Spratly) Islands. These joint efforts have led to the discovery of over 15 new coral reef fish species worldwide, as well as the identification of new genera and at least 2 new goby species in Taiwan’s waters. In addition, studies on the genus Luciogobius have yielded more than 8 species with voucher specimens, greatly expanding the nation’s catalog of marine biodiversity. In addition, the NTOU research team presented over 2 newly identified freshwater fish species discovered in Taiwanese waters, 3 new freshwater species from the waters of Fujian Province in China, and more than 2 new benthic goby species found in Philippine waters. Experts from Southeast Asia also announced several newly discovered and newly recorded fish species, enriching the global inventory of tropical ichthyofauna. The symposium achieved remarkable results, showcasing not only Taiwan’s strong research capacity in marine ecology but also the international community’s growing commitment to advancing fish ecology and conservation studies. It is hoped that these research outcomes will help inform policymaking, promote sustainable development, and ultimately safeguard the health and stability of marine ecosystems, ensuring that future generations may continue to enjoy the abundant resources of the ocean.

In response to the United Nations’ Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and the Executive Yuan’s 2030 Bilingual Policy, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) under the Ocean Affairs Council has launched the English-language interface of the National Ocean Database and Sharing System (NODASS), marking a key step toward the internationalization of Taiwan’s ocean data platform. From April 27 to May 2, 2025, the NAMR research team participated in the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly in Vienna—one of the most influential annual events in global earth science. The newly released NODASS English interface made its first international appearance, immediately drawing attention from researchers across five continents. With its intuitive interface and robust data integration capabilities, the platform quickly won acclaim and gained numerous international admirers, boosting global visibility for Taiwan’s ocean data achievements!
The EGU General Assembly attracts over 20,000 scientists and students from around the world each year, covering atmospheric sciences, oceanography, hydrology, climate change, geology, and related fields. It provided the ideal stage for NODASS’s English debut. The NAMR exhibition booth highlighted interactivity and real-time data access, offering live demonstrations of observational and numerical simulation data, including real-time ocean observations, satellite remote sensing products, numerical model forecasts, and open API services. Complemented by bilingual instructional videos, visual map guides, and printed materials, the display allowed attendees to fully experience the system’s comprehensive functionality.
NAMR researchers conducted on-site demonstrations and guided tours, actively engaging with participants from the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, India, and the Middle East. Many expressed admirations for Taiwan’s ability to build such a highly integrated and open-access ocean data platform, noting its potential as a valuable starting point for regional marine research. One Indian scholar humorously remarked, “You should extend your service to the Indian Ocean, it would make our research so much easier!” Participants from the Middle East also praised NODASS’s user-friendly design and intuitive operation, saying they planned to introduce it as a teaching tool back home. The enthusiastic feedback reflected the success of NODASS’s seamless design and comprehensive functionality.
More than a technical upgrade, the launch of the English interface represents Taiwan’s commitment to open data, scientific collaboration, and active participation in international marine governance. Through its participation in the EGU—one of the most important global forums for earth science—the NAMR showcased Taiwan’s achievements in marine data integration, application, and sharing, highlighting the nation’s growing role and influence in international scientific collaboration.
The launch of the NODASS English interface embodies Taiwan’s commitment to open science and equal access to information. NAMR President Chung-Ling Chen emphasized that the upgrade aligns with the United Nations’ core principles of “Open Science” and “Science for Sustainability.” Through NODASS, Taiwan not only shares marine data with the world but also sends a clear message: Taiwan is both willing and capable of being a key partner in advancing global ocean sustainability and data sharing. The initiative resonates deeply with the spirit of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, ensuring that Taiwan’s marine research results are shared globally in pursuit of a sustainable ocean future.

The National Academy of Marine Research held the "Second NODASS Marine Big Data Competition" today (6th) in Kaohsiung. After intense preliminary and semi-final rounds, the finals took place in the morning, where participants presented their reports on-site. In the afternoon, Huang Hsiang-wen, Deputy Minister of the Ocean Affairs Council, hosted the award ceremony, attended by Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh, Legislative Assistant Shunai Gulas from Legislator Lin Dai-hua's office, Director Hong Ching-hong from the Kaohsiung City Government's Ocean Affairs Bureau, Principal Cheng Wen-yi from Kaohsiung Girls' Senior High School, and Chen Jianhong, President of the National Academy of Marine Research. They encouraged young students to explore marine issues using big data and promote sustainable development of the ocean.In this final round, two outstanding teams were selected from both the high school and university categories. Among the high school teams, Tainan Girls' Senior High School's team "Navy" presented their topic "Environmental Key to Chiayi Oysters: The Relationship Between Water Quality Factors and Yield Trends," utilizing the NODASS database to analyze various marine data. They discovered that dissolved oxygen, nitrate nitrogen, silicate, and zinc significantly affect oyster yields along the western coast.Kaohsiung Girls' Senior High School's team "Little Sea Lion – You You Yi Tiao Cup Fish Swallowed a Pumpkin-sized Zhen Zhu Ya!" explored "Changes in Chlorophyll-a Concentration in Southern Taiwan Waters During Typhoons." Their research showed that chlorophyll-a concentration varied most significantly two to three days before and after the typhoon's center passed closest.In the university category, National Sun Yat-sen University's Department of Marine Science team "University Needs Four Years to Graduate" analyzed "Hydrological Field Analysis During Typhoon Haikui Events in Southeast Taiwan Waters." They used data from Typhoon Haikui's path in September 2023 to analyze phenomena of "warm eddies" and "cold eddies" along the typhoon's path, clarifying how typhoons form in the Pacific and are influenced by ocean conditions. Finally, a joint team from the Naval Academy and National Defense University’s College of Science and Technology called "Descendants of the Ocean" developed an "AI Unmanned Marine Vehicle Deployment Decision-Making and Risk Management System." They utilized long-term and short-term memory deep learning models for sea condition forecasting, comparing buoy data with AI training results for simulated data optimization. This data is then applied to disaster warning systems to provide real-time notifications to the public and government agencies when ocean data shows anomalies, enabling timely disaster prevention measures.Additionally, in the NODASS graphic creation project, students combined their life experiences with the NODASS database to create interesting connections between art and marine science. One outstanding high school team's artwork from Kaohsiung Girls' Senior High School symbolized a typhoon, a disturbance, and changes in marine primary productivity! In one corner of the painting, a fading cyclone represents an approaching typhoon; the surging waves seem like cries from the ocean, depicting the turbulence and surges during a typhoon. The scattered points across the painting represent thriving plankton due to nutrient salts, while the central waves resemble a rainbow.Deputy Minister Huang Hsiang-wen represented Chairperson Guan Biling to greet participants on-site, emphasizing that although she could not attend personally, she was following the competition via live stream. Huang noted that obtaining marine data used to be challenging; however, with the establishment of the National Ocean Database And Sharing System (NODASS) by the National Academy of Marine Research, rich data resources are now available. Each participating team demonstrated exceptional analytical skills and innovative problem-solving abilities throughout the preliminary and semi-final rounds, showcasing limitless possibilities for the future of our oceans. The ocean remains a key area for human development; big data will be an important tool for deciphering its mysteries. He encouraged participating students to contribute their wisdom and strength towards sustainable development of marine resources.President Chen Jianhong stated that combining climate (Climate) with ocean (Ocean) provides context for our entire planet (Planet). With better data (Better data), we can make more accurate decisions (Better decisions) leading to better outcomes (Better outcomes). Our marine big data competition primarily focuses on data-driven exploration of various challenges facing our planet. The results created through your efforts can provide crucial foundations for current scientific research and assist decision-makers in formulating more precise and forward-looking strategies.The Kaohsiung City Government's Ocean Affairs Bureau expressed that this event holds multiple positive meanings; it will encourage students to become excellent marine citizens who can grow into technological marine citizens in the future. By integrating marine issues with technology, they can actively respond to environmental challenges and work towards sustainable oceans.

Marking a significant step forward in advancing marine technology under the current Indo-Pacific strategy, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) of India on November 20, 2024. The signing ceremony, held at India's Ministry of Earth Sciences, was witnessed by Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Hsiang-wen Huang, Deputy Minister of the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC), and Bor-huei Hsieh, Representative at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India.
      Located in Chennai, South India, NIOT has been a cornerstone of India's marine technology development since its establishment 21 years ago in 1993 by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Its primary mission is to develop reliable ocean technologies to address challenges related to the exploration of non-living resources and the sustainable utilization of living resources within India's Exclusive Economic Zone, an area roughly two-thirds the size of India's landmass. During the meeting, Balaji Ramakrishnan, Director of NIOT, highlighted the institute’s recent advancements in marine technology, including deep-sea vehicle development, temperature gradient and wave energy technologies, and marine radar-based meteorological observation systems. He expressed hope that the MOU would foster closer collaboration between Taiwan and India in technology exchange.
      Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, shared progress on key research topics within the ministry, such as marine radar observation, climate change, underwater observation technologies, the sustainable use of marine biological and non-biological resources, and marine energy development. He also emphasized the importance of fields like marine biology, marine microbiology, and biotechnology, identifying them as priorities in the future development of the blue economy. Ravichandran expressed optimism that this collaboration would significantly enhance both nations' capacities in marine research.
      Deputy Minister Hsiang-wen Huang of the OAC noted the historical connection between Taiwan and India, referencing OAC Minister Kuan Bi-ling's previous role as President of the Taiwan-India Parliamentary Friendship Association and her visit to India, which received positive feedback at the time. Deputy Minister Huang emphasized that the inclusion of sustainable ocean-themed pens in the MOU signing ceremony symbolizes the shared commitment to ocean protection. She elaborated that since its inception, the OAC has been dedicated to positioning Taiwan as a globally oriented maritime nation while actively engaging in international ocean cooperation. With the NAMR serving as Taiwan's marine think tank, the organization leverages its extensive expertise and experience to support the OAC in addressing critical ocean-related matters. Huang expressed hope that this MOU will strengthen international collaboration in research, technology exchange, and talent development programs, driving innovation and advancement in marine technology. In addition to fostering Taiwan-India cooperation in marine observation and conservation research, she expressed optimism about expanding collaboration between the two nations in polar scientific research.
      Representative Bor-huei Hsieh of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India  provided historical context about Taiwan and highlighted its global significance, framing the development of Taiwan-India relations. He referenced the Indian Ministry of External Affairs' statements about the close cultural, educational, and trade-investment ties between the two nations. Hsieh also mentioned President Lai Ching-te's congratulatory message to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 5, 2024, following his re-election, expressing hope for continued prosperity under Modi's leadership and a deepening of Taiwan-India relations. Hsieh affirmed that the MOU would further enhance bilateral collaboration in marine research.
      NAMR President Jiahn-horng Chen shared insights into NAMR's 2021 initiative to observe temperature, wave, and current characteristics in polar regions, contributing to a better understanding of polar research. He expressed hope for closer collaboration with India's NIOT under the Ministry of Earth Sciences to expand Taiwan-India exchanges and partnerships in the Indian Ocean and beyond. Under the leadership of former NAMR President Yung-fang Chiu and National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Science and Technology Division Head Chin-tsan Wang, close cooperation between the two parties laid the groundwork for the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with India. Throughout the preparatory phase, the NSTC's Science and Technology Division in India facilitated numerous bilateral online meetings and made several visits to NIOT's director and researchers to discuss potential collaborations. To explore the feasibility of joint efforts in buoy observation and related technologies, the team also conducted multiple visits to Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, to explore possible solutions for further collaboration. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic and ongoing discussions to harmonize technical approaches, the continued efforts of the OAC and NAMR led to the formal signing of the MOU on November 20, 2024.
NAMR is envisaged to collaborate with NIOT on a range of marine research projects, including the development and application of buoy observation technology, oceanic physical processes in the Indian Ocean, interactions between oceans and tropical cyclones, and advancements in ocean radar and satellite observation technologies. Through this MOU, the two institutions aim to jointly advance marine science research and environmental monitoring technologies in the Indo-Pacific region. This partnership seeks to foster closer collaboration, enhance technical capabilities, and drive innovation in marine research fields for both nations.

After a year of dedicated effort, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR), in collaboration with the Department of Oceanography at National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) successfully passed the review by Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute. In August this year (2024), NAMR represented Taiwan aboard the internationally renowned "RV Polarstern" icebreaker, embarking on a two-month marine science expedition to the Arctic Ocean north of 80°N. Through hands-on participation in oceanographic surveys, the team obtained invaluable hydrographic data from the Arctic Ocean, marking a pioneering achievement for Taiwan's marine research institutions.
NAMR President Jiahn-Horng Chen emphasized a significant milestone in Taiwan's polar research history: on June 25, 2022. NAMR, in collaboration with Central University and Nicolaus Copernicus University of Poland, established the Taiwan Polar Research Workstation in Longyearbyen, Svalbard. Marked with a national flag and plaque, this station became Taiwan's first research outpost in the Arctic. Building on this achievement, the current opportunity for international collaboration in the Arctic Ocean further highlights the growing global recognition of Taiwan's contributions to polar marine science and marks a new chapter in the nation's ocean research journey.
Ke-hsien Fu , Research Associate at NAMR, participated in the Arctic science expedition ARCWATCH2 aboard the RV Polarstern. He shared that the mission was a multinational collaborative effort involving 12 countries and 53 researchers. The primary objective was to continue long-term scientific investigations of the Arctic Ocean. Global climate change has significantly impacted the Arctic Ocean, with the extent of sea ice coverage continuing to shrink. For example, satellite observations in early September this year revealed that the Arctic Ocean's summer sea ice coverage reached its ninth-lowest extent in the past 45 years, maintaining a negative annual trend of reduction in summer sea ice.
Fu noted that the RV Polarstern expedition departed from Norway and ventured more than 12,000 kilometers north into the Arctic Ocean. Along the journey, the team conducted a series of marine and sea ice investigations, including monitoring changes in seawater temperature and ocean currents, collecting chemical samples, studying marine fishery resources, and examining the interactions between sea ice and the ocean. The primary aim was to better understand the dynamics and environmental changes in the Arctic Ocean under the influence of global climate change. Taiwanese scientists aboard the RV Polarstern focused on observing and analyzing vertical profiles of temperature and salinity, as well as ocean currents, along the ship's route. The subsequent research and analyses will provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of global climate change, enhance predictive capabilities, and offer foundational data for Taiwan's academic and research community in Arctic studies. These findings will also serve as critical references for developing marine policies and advancing international ocean affairs.
The expedition was also marked by several memorable moments. Early in the journey, a crew member fell ill and required an emergency return to seek medical support, disrupting the planned route and survey schedule. Despite this setback, the research team successfully completed all planned tasks. During the voyage, the team encountered a wild polar bear hunting on the ice. They also worked on sea ice in extremely heavy cold-weather gear, conducting research activities at the North Pole (90°N), including hydrographic profile surveys. The expedition included taking helicopters from the research vessel to nearby ice sheets for additional hydrographic measurements. On the return journey, the team experienced a strong geomagnetic storm, offering the rare opportunity to witness the northern lights.
Assistant Professor Ying-chih Fang from the Department of Oceanography at National Sun Yat-sen University highlighted that Taiwan's participation in this multinational Arctic Ocean research collaboration demonstrates its proactive engagement with global issues and the changing polar marine environment. This endeavor not only underscores Taiwan's commitment to addressing global challenges but also lays the groundwork for fostering further international collaborations, marking a significant step forward in connecting Taiwan with Arctic Ocean scientific research.

A joint research team from the Marine Ecology and Conservation Research Center of the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) and the Institute of Marine Biology at National Taiwan Ocean University (NTU) has made a groundbreaking discovery in the waters around Taiping Island, the southernmost territory of Taiwan. During a survey of cryptobenthic fish species, the team identified a new Gobiidae, or goby, species, which they have named "Fusigobius taipinensis" in honor of its discovery location. The species will soon be officially published in the international taxonomy journal Zootaxa, adding to Taiwan's already impressive tally of highly diverse fish species and underscoring the ongoing achievements of marine ecological research on Taiping Island.
      Professor Yi-hsiung Chen from NTU's Institute of Marine Biology noted that gobies constitute the largest family of fish, with over 2,000 species globally and more than 260 species recorded in Taiwan. Spindle gobies are typically found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans, inhabiting sandy areas near rocky and coral reefs as small to medium-sized bottom-dwelling fish. The newly named Fusigobius taipinensis is a cryptic species residing in coral reef zones, making it difficult to detect. After conducting detailed comparisons with existing fish taxonomic data from Taiwan and the South China Sea, the research team employed morphological and molecular evidence to distinguish this species from closely related spindle gobies, confirming its status as a new species.
      The Fusigobius taipinensis is the sixth species of spindle goby identified in Taiwan's waters. It has been observed to inhabit coral reef zones at depths of 5 to 20 meters around Taiping Island, with rare occurrences recorded in the waters near Xiaoliuqiu off southwestern Taiwan. Adults are about 3–6 cm in length, with a translucent body featuring numerous small yellow spots and two small deep black circular spots on their dorsal fin, distinct from the coloration of other spindle goby species. Chih-wei Chang, Director of NAMR's Marine Ecology and Conservation Research Center, shared insights into the fascinating history of fish surveys around Taiping Island. He noted that NTU's team had conducted sporadic fish surveys in the area as early as 1994. During these surveys, they collected an unprecedented goby species living in a symbiotic relationship with snapping shrimp, which was later published in 2006 under the name "Amblyeleotris taipinensis." Since 2022, NAMR has collaborated with NTU to conduct comprehensive fish surveys around Taiping Island, culminating in the identification and naming of another goby species unique to the area this year. Both goby species rely on the coral reef habitats of Taiping Island, underscoring the need to prioritize ecological conservation in these waters to protect their critical habitats.
      NAMR President Jiahn-horng Chen highlighted the significance of Taiping Island as Taiwan's southernmost territory and the largest natural island in the South China Sea, renowned for its rich biodiversity. However, due to its remote location over 1,600 kilometers from Taiwan, comprehensive ecological surveys and monitoring of its waters have historically been scarce. Thanks to funding from the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) and unwavering logistical support from the Coast Guard Administration (CGA), NAMR established the Nansha Marine Station in late 2020. Over the past three years, the research station has facilitated foundational ecological surveys and active collaborations with academic institutions domestically and internationally. In 2021, NAMR partnered with the Biodiversity Research Center of Academia Sinica to conduct coral reef ecological surveys around Taiping Island. These surveys revealed a significant outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish, a threat to the coral ecosystem. In response, the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) collaborated with Academia Sinica to remove the starfish and initiated two years of continuous marine ecological monitoring to prevent further outbreaks. This successful collaboration underscores the critical importance of conducting baseline ecological surveys across Taiwan's marine territories.

Typhoon Krathon, the most powerful storm to hit southern Taiwan in decades, has brought the region to a standstill. With work and classes suspended across southern counties, residents scrambled to prepare for the storm. Fishing boats sought refuge in harbors, and cargo ships rerouted to avoid the typhoon's path, leaving Taiwan's surrounding waters eerily empty. Yet, amidst this sense of desolation, ocean data buoys deployed by the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) and the Central Weather Administration continued their vigilant operations, monitoring the typhoon's dynamics and relaying real-time information to disaster response agencies to aid in decision-making for disaster prevention and evacuation.
       Since 2020, NAMR has deployed ocean data buoys in Taiwan's adjacent waters to monitor waves, ocean currents, and strong winds. These buoys transmit real-time data to the National Ocean Database and Sharing System (NODASS), offering critical insights for disaster response and mitigation. Each ocean data buoy measures 2.5 meters in diameter and weighs 1,500 kilograms. They are one of the world's most crucial marine observation instruments. NAMR has localized and developed these tools, with buoy systems currently installed at Nanwan in Kenting, Dongjiyu in Penghu, Chaojing in Keelung, and Honeymoon Bay in Yilan. These buoys represent cutting-edge, locally developed marine monitoring technology. In addition to NAMR, agencies such as the Central Weather Administration, Water Resources Agency, and the Transportation Technology Research Center have also installed similar buoy stations tailored to their missions. Data from these stations is integrated into NODASS, where it is accessible to the public.
       During typhoons, when ships are grounded, satellites are obscured by clouds, and drones cannot take flight, ocean data buoys are the sole reliable source of maritime information. Using 4G/5G or satellite communication systems, these buoys relay real-time conditions at sea, providing essential updates for disaster response teams to track the typhoon's progress. Even with advanced typhoon forecasting models, buoy data remains indispensable for calibration, ensuring accurate predictions.
       Before Typhoon Krathon made landfall, the sea had already shown its immense power. The NAMR recorded wave heights exceeding 7 meters near Nanwan in Kenting, with offshore waves approaching 10 meters and surges peaking momentarily at over 15 meters. As the typhoon continues to approach, wave activity is expected to intensify further, potentially bringing unprecedented impacts to coastal areas. Residents living near the coast are strongly advised to remain vigilant and take all necessary precautions to ensure their safety.

In recognition of Professor Kwang-tsao Shao's extraordinary contribution to marine science and his selfless donation of lifetime research data to the National Ocean Database and Sharing System (NODASS) for public access, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) presented him with the “Meritorious Contribution to the Ocean” Award during the 2024 NODASS Application Workshop held today (Sep 26th). This gesture honors his unwavering dedication to ocean research and his exemplary role as a pioneer in marine biology.
       Professor Shao is an authority in international fish diversity studies. After completing his studies in the United States, he returned to Taiwan with a vision to preserve and make academic research publicly accessible through databases, thereby supporting species conservation and sustainable use policies. In 1988, he established Taiwan's first biodiversity database, the “Fish Database of Taiwan,” which includes information on fish species' scientific names, distribution, morphology, and essential descriptions. Additionally, Professor Shao spearheaded the establishment of several national biodiversity databases and, in 2001, advocated for Taiwan's membership in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). These efforts have brought international attention to Taiwan's rich biodiversity, ensuring its enduring global recognition.
       Although Professor Shao retired in 2016, he remains passionately engaged in marine academia, education, policy-making, and public communication. His tireless efforts in marine biology research and conservation continue to earn him widespread acclaim as a trailblazer in Taiwan's marine biology community. Professor Shao has long supported the Ocean Basic Act directive to establish the National Ocean Database and Sharing System (NODASS) and proactively approached NAMR, offering to donate all his lifetime research data free of charge. His contributions have significantly enriched the database, making him the first marine scholar to contribute such valuable resources to NODASS. Minister Kuan Bi-ling of the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) specifically directed NAMR to publicly recognize Professor Shao's passion for academia and public service as an exemplary role model for society.
       NAMR further noted that NODASS, which opened to the public in May 2022, expanded its offerings in May 2023 to include diversified map data downloads and application services. By this year, NODASS has aggregated 107 datasets from 29 domestic and international organizations. Monthly unique website visits have increased by approximately 27%, surpassing 130,000 visits, with 38 datasets now openly available for free public access. These datasets cover a wide range of marine information, including hydrology, ecology, seabed topography, and cultural data, with over 28,000 downloads recorded to date.
      The NAMR hosted the "2024 National Ocean Database and Sharing System (NODASS) Application Workshop" today (26th) at the Ocean View Flagship Conference Hall, Building A, Kaohsiung Software Park. To honor Professor Shao's contributions, the workshop featured a special award presentation by Hsiang-wen Huang, Deputy Minister of the OAC. Deputy Minister Huang stated that "Data transparency is crucial for effective policy-making. The OAC will coordinate efforts across government agencies to enrich the shared pool of marine data. NODASS serves as a bridge to the future, and we hope more people will join the mission to explore the ocean."
      In his acceptance speech, Professor Shao reflected, "Although we have achieved some progress, we are still in the stage of ‘the revolution is not yet complete; comrades, strive on!' The construction and integration of foundational biodiversity surveys and databases remain areas where we must collectively strive forward."
      Chien-erh Weng, Vice President of NAMR, expressed gratitude for Professor Shao's contributions and expressed hope that his leadership would inspire other marine scholars to share their data and agree to include it in the NODASS platform. This would definitely amplify the value of these precious marine resources. He further emphasized that NAMR is committed to continuously refining its efforts, gathering a wider range of marine data, and sharing it with the public to collectively lead Taiwan into a new era of the blue economy.

On August 5, the Coast Guard Administration of the Ocean Affairs Council recovered a yellow disc-shaped device marked with the GoOcean logo from a high coastal area in Wang'an, Penghu. Upon notification, it was confirmed that this was a scientific drifting buoy deployed by the National Academy of Marine Research in July. The academy expressed surprise upon receiving the report and confirming its location, as photos showed the buoy on high ground next to rocky shores—an area typically unreachable by seawater—estimated to be 6 meters above sea level and 50 meters horizontally from the shoreline. This 11-kilogram buoy was likely pushed ashore by storm surges and large waves during the typhoon.During a typhoon, most people only experience strong winds and heavy rain on land. However, what do marine organisms face in both the surface and subsurface worlds during such storms? How do ocean currents move objects on the sea surface under typhoon conditions? The academy's scientific buoy experienced a three-day "adventure" during Typhoon Kimi, shedding light on some of the unexplored and intriguing "mysteries of the ocean under a typhoon."By comparing the buoy's serial number and GPS track records, the academy confirmed that this buoy was indeed the "ocean wave and current observation buoy" that went missing during Typhoon Kimi's impact on Taiwan. It is speculated that strong winds, low pressure, and severe sea conditions during the typhoon caused "storm surges," which led to abnormal water level rises near the coast. Coupled with waves taller than a story, these conditions effectively "threw" the buoy onto high ground.Assistant researcher Lu Yijie noted that analyzing the buoy's drift trajectory and observed wave changes revealed that since the Central Weather Bureau issued a marine typhoon warning on July 22, under the influence of peripheral circulation from the typhoon, it rapidly drifted southward from offshore Xiyu in Penghu and circled around Wang'an and Huayu areas for 175 kilometers within 60 hours. During this time, wave heights increased dramatically as Typhoon Kimi entered the Taiwan Strait—from less than 1 meter for small waves to 4.93 meters for large waves—resulting in wave energy at the buoy's location being one to two hundred times greater than normal sea conditions. The buoy's battered exterior suggests it endured significant torment near rocky shores close to Wang'an Water An Port.The academy emphasized that based on the buoy's observational data and its condition upon recovery, its erratic path and recorded waves nearly two stories high indicate that had someone fallen into the sea during a typhoon warning, not only would it be difficult to determine where they would drift, but they could also be pulled by powerful forces with potentially catastrophic consequences. Therefore, they reiterated that one must never underestimate the power and threats posed by oceans during typhoons—whether onshore or offshore.Chen Jianhong, president of the National Academy of Marine Research, stated that under Chairperson Guan Biling's guidance to strengthen marine affairs responsibilities related to "three assurances and four seas," the academy has deployed nine fixed buoys and 27 coastal marine radars to continuously monitor changes in marine environments 24/7. Through platforms like GoOcean for marine recreational risk information and NODASS for national ocean data, they provide services for marine living, research, and operational needs. The academy is also actively seeking funding support for related projects to enhance Taiwan's capabilities in monitoring marine spatial environments and information services while continuously improving data accumulation and intelligent applications for marine safety, scientific research, and evidence-based governance.

The National Academy of Marine Research held the second "NODASS Marine Big Data Competition" workshop from July 17 to 19 at Kaohsiung Girls' High School, with 15 teams from high schools and vocational schools and 11 teams from universities participating in the training. During the three-day workshop, teacher-student teams learned to use big data analysis software to propose solutions to marine issues based on the National Ocean Database And Sharing System (NODASS). The workshop also collaborated with CommonWealth Magazine to train students in data visualization and organized multiple marine science lectures to inspire students' interest in scientific research and their potential for independent study, fostering their inquiry and practical skills.This year's competition introduced a new NODASS graphic creation category, where students combined their life experiences with the NODASS database to create many creative and touching works. One team drew inspiration from a suspended oyster farming scene, using each oyster as a data point, with the oyster lines representing the connecting lines in a data line chart, resulting in a complete data line graph. This illustration reflects that suspended farming should occur in areas with higher seawater levels; however, this particular site is shallow, which, while allowing oysters to survive, can lead to the release of some toxic substances. The hope is to utilize the National Academy's data to discuss these issues and reduce threats and pollution to the marine ecosystem.Liu Guolie, Secretary-General of the Ocean Affairs Council, stated that the ocean currently faces many challenges. The Chairperson of the Ocean Affairs Council, Guan Biling, proposed strategies addressing three aspects: national security, public safety, and peace; and four ocean-related areas: marine pollution prevention, marine waste management, marine ecological conservation, and marine industry development. In this preliminary proposal stage, we see that team contents resonate with these strategies, such as water quality monitoring, sea turtles, ecosystems, blue carbon, fisheries (oysters, eel fry, black tuna, mackerel, etc.), ocean energy generation, artificial reefs, and sea temperature forecasting. These topics give us confidence in the future of our marine nation. Young students are an important talent pool for the country; many high school participants from last year's first competition continued their studies in marine-related fields at university. Additionally, some high school teams used NODASS big data research to compete internationally. These are significant achievements of the Ocean Affairs Council in promoting youth participation in international marine affairs. It is hoped that every participating teacher and student can showcase the characteristics of citizens of a marine nation and bring glory to Taiwan through marine science.Chen Jianhong, President of the National Academy of Marine Research, also mentioned that 93% of global warming is due to heat absorbed by the oceans; thus, oceans bear a significant burden. Understanding ocean phenomena through big data monitoring and analysis is an essential part of our curriculum. In the preliminary competition, we saw much creativity and enthusiasm from students. Some students wanted to understand changes in ocean temperature, salinity, sea level height, and their impacts; others were curious about the reasons behind sea turtle strandings; while others focused on industry-related technologies and solutions. These questions and phenomena hope to be inferred through various possibilities by integrating other data with the NODASS system.After completing the workshop courses, participating teams must submit research proposals on topics related to marine ecology, marine culture, marine science, or marine energy for the competition. Eight teams each from high schools/vocational schools and universities will be selected for the final round in November. We look forward to students' impressive performances and fruitful results. For detailed competition information, please refer to the NODASS Marine Big Data Competition website.

The National Academy of Marine Research held the "2024 National Marine Talent Development Forum - Taiwan Sea Grant Program Launch" today (17th), gathering experts and scholars from academia, government, industry, and marine research fields to discuss the Taiwan Sea Grant Program. The forum aims to call on the public to take practical actions and coexist with the ocean.The "National Marine Talent Development Forum" is part of the National Ocean Day series of events. This year's theme, "Exploring the Ocean, Setting Sail Against the Wind," continues to resonate with the United Nations World Oceans Day theme "Awaken New Depths." It hopes for a deeper understanding, empathy, cooperation, and commitment towards the ocean. The forum also aims to establish a marine consciousness among the people and showcase a commitment to the ocean's depth while reflecting on Taiwan's glorious history and looking towards the future.At this Taiwan Sea Grant Program forum, Professor Yoo Seung-bum from Inha University in South Korea was invited to share practical approaches and successful experiences from Korea, providing guidance for Taiwan's initial planning. The forum includes three sessions: "Innovation and Development in Marine Industry," "Marine Ecological Conservation and Sustainability," and "Citizen Participation and Impact in Marine Affairs." Professors from 12 universities across Taiwan will share their insights on marine research, services, and education, discussing existing marine resources and future policy recommendations. The relevant content presented at this forum will be compiled into a publication titled "Marine Affairs Special Publication 3 - Taiwan Sea Grant Program Launch."Deputy Director Huang Hsiang-wen of the Ocean Affairs Council stated: "We hope to achieve the 2030 ocean decade goals through the participation of regional partners across Taiwan, realizing a vision for sustainable oceans and aligning with international standards to build a model marine nation." National Academy of Marine Research President Chen Chien-hung also mentioned: "We are in the preliminary stages of seeking regional cooperation partners. We welcome advanced individuals as well as enterprises, legal entities, NGOs, and local organizations interested in the Sea Grant Program to participate. We hope that 20 years from now, when we look back at the development of Sea Grant, everyone will feel proud.

The Ocean Science Sequence (OSS), developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in collaboration with over 70 scientists and educators since 2005, is the world's most comprehensive ocean literacy curriculum. It is based on the Seven Principles of Ocean Literacy, offering a systematic approach to marine science education. In 2023, the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) obtained official authorization to translate and promote the OSS curriculum in Taiwan, targeting elementary and junior high school levels. This year, the OAC has further launched a national initiative to subsidize local education projects. Starting with five counties and cities across northern and southern Taiwan, the program aims to train seed teachers in ocean education, link international marine education standards, and develop Taiwan-specific ocean literacy teaching plans. Through the adoption of the OSS curriculum, the program aspires to establish Taiwan as a global model for ocean literacy.
In 2024, the OAC will begin subsidizing local governments to promote the OSS curriculum as a benchmark for ocean literacy education. From Keelung City in the north to Pingtung County in the south, the initiative will introduce OSS materials nationwide. The effort is supported by the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR), which has assembled the Taiwan OSS Ocean Literacy Team, comprising experts from the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, and the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley.
Today (May 30th), Minister Kuan Bi-ling of the OAC and NAMR President Chen Jiahn-horng visited Jian De Elementary School in Keelung City to observe a demonstration class featuring the OSS curriculum. Hosted by Keelung Deputy Mayor Chiu Pei-lin , the event provided a platform to discuss future collaboration between central and local governments to jointly promote a model framework for ocean literacy in Taiwan.
Today, at Jian De Elementary School in Keelung, the OSS curriculum was conducted in bilingual teaching sessions, offering hands-on and exploratory learning experiences. Teacher Yeh Yun-ching led students in exploring the lesson "Light, Pressure, Temperature, and Salinity," helping them understand the unique characteristics of different marine zones. Through experiments, students discovered how light, pressure, temperature, and salinity affect marine environments. Teacher Lin Chan-kuan conducted a session on "Habitat Relationships," teaching students how organisms adapt to diverse habitats. Students engaged in role-playing and simulation activities to experience the survival strategies of various marine creatures. Meanwhile, Teacher Li Ming-hsia delivered a lesson on "The Relationship Between Humans and the Ocean," guiding students to explore the interconnections between human activities and marine ecosystems. Through discussions and group collaboration, students gained a deeper understanding of the impact of human behavior on the ocean and the importance of marine conservation.
The event was attended by Minister Kuan Bi-ling of the OAC, Keelung Deputy Mayor Chiu Pei-lin, NAMR President Chen Jiahn-horng , and National Museum of Marine Science and Technology Director Chen Su-fen. They participated in a workshop and held discussions with community teachers. Minister Kuan expressed her joy, stating that during her year as head of the Ocean Affairs Council, today marked one of her happiest and most youthful experiences as she joined fifth-grade students in ocean literacy classes. She commended the efforts of all partners dedicated to establishing Taiwan as a global leader in ocean literacy and praised Keelung for its role as a model city in this endeavor. Minister Kuan emphasized the importance of ocean literacy in Taiwan, underscoring the OAC's responsibility to establish Taiwan as a benchmark for ocean education. She expressed hope that Taiwan will continue advancing ocean literacy to become a true maritime nation.
The OSS curriculum, departing from traditional lecture-based teaching methods, adopts an inquiry-driven exploration model that sparks students' interest in the ocean. This innovative approach is considered the curriculum's most significant value, as it fosters curiosity and a deeper connection to marine science. The integration of the OSS curriculum into bilingual teaching by Keelung's teachers was remarkable, showcasing a seamless blend of international educational standards and local creativity. Students fully immersed themselves in exploring ocean science, exemplifying the OAC's vision of adopting the OSS curriculum to connect with global initiatives and establish Taiwan as a leading nation in ocean literacy. The collaboration between central and local governments will continue to drive this initiative forward, promoting ocean literacy education. Through engaging and enjoyable courses, children can deepen their understanding of marine knowledge and develop a heightened awareness of ocean-related issues.
Minister Kuan further emphasized that the OSS curriculum is being implemented simultaneously in the United States, South Korea, and Taiwan. Establishing Taiwan as a model nation for ocean literacy has become a key policy of the OAC. Next year (2025), the "Subsidy Program for Promoting Ocean Affairs in Local Governments" will prioritize the introduction of the OSS curriculum. This includes training seed teachers and enhancing the ocean literacy of students as the first focus area for funding in developing region-specific ocean education programs.

This April, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) hosted the inaugural Vision Marine Conference, bringing together participants from 10 countries to explore global challenges and solutions in marine science. Among the highlights was a keynote presentation by Song Taeyoon, CEO of South Korea's HAEBOM, who discussed the "Application and Advancement of Marine Big Data in South Korea." His talk emphasized the critical role of marine big data in modern ocean science and management and its significance in fostering sustainable ocean development.
        Building on the enthusiasm generated by the conference, NAMR organized three physical and virtual information sessions across northern, central, and southern Taiwan. The final session, held on the 6th, officially kicked off the 2nd NODASS Big Data Competition. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education's Earth Science and Geography Resource Center and the Taiwan Marine Education Center, this year's competition aims to expand ocean science education to a broader audience. For the first time, the event welcomes not only high school students but also college and university students to participate. The competition is centered on the National Ocean Database and Sharing System (NODASS) and aims to cultivate participants' abilities to utilize marine data to solve ocean-related challenges. It also seeks to promote ocean data literacy among the public, fostering a deeper understanding and practical engagement with marine science.
        NODASS integrates domestic and international marine databases, offering a wide array of services, including spatial and temporal queries, map-based searches, ecological data access, station-to-station comparisons, dynamic data visualizations, satellite image analysis, and marine product applications. The platform provides the most comprehensive and user-friendly access to marine data and tools.
         Jiahn-horng Chen, President of the NAMR, shared his insights with the audience, stating, "The ocean speaks to us through its data, whether it's the rise and fall of wave heights, the speed of ocean currents, or the warmth and coolness of seawater temperatures. Data is the pathway to understanding the ocean and addressing its challenges." Principal Wen-yi Cheng of Kaohsiung Girls' Senior High School and Principal You-ling Hong of Taichung Girls' Senior High School emphasized the strong connection between the competition and high school geography and earth science curricula. They expressed excitement about the comprehensive marine database available through NODASS and looked forward to teachers and students engaging with it to enhance their learning journeys. Cheng-chieh Chang, Director of the Taiwan Marine Education Center, highlighted that marine education should go beyond the transfer of knowledge, emphasizing that it is an exploratory and practical process. He noted that the competition allows students to transform theoretical knowledge into actionable insights through inquiry and hands-on projects, fostering a deeper connection to marine science and its real-world applications.

The South China Sea is a critical maritime hub and serves as a key juncture for global shipping routes. Under the government's New Southbound Policy, Taiwan has actively engaged with neighboring countries in the region, pursuing collaboration in areas such as disaster prevention and management, fisheries patrols, humanitarian assistance, and international scientific research. Despite the presence of the South China Sea Humanitarian Assistance Center and a logistics supply base in the region, Taiwan's scientific surveys of the South China Sea remain limited. To address this, Jiahn-horng Chen, President of the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR), announced that NAMR is launching an ambitious South China Sea survey initiative. These efforts aim to enhance Taiwan's understanding of the region through comprehensive data collection and research, expanding the nation's capacity for marine science and international cooperation. The data will also be applied to smart disaster management, humanitarian aid, and other critical areas. Therefore, NAMR is actively launching survey projects in the South China Sea. Through comprehensive marine data collection and research, the initiative aims to enhance Taiwan's understanding of the South China Sea. This effort not only expands Taiwan's capacity for marine scientific research and international collaboration but also facilitates the application of collected data to areas such as smart disaster prevention and humanitarian assistance. NAMR has adopted a multidisciplinary approach for its current South China Sea survey mission, integrating terrestrial and marine scientific methodologies. This comprehensive investigation aims to achieve a holistic understanding of the unique characteristics of the surrounding marine environment in the South China Sea.
NAMR has long maintained Taiwan's marine environmental monitoring systems, not only for scientific research but also to support disaster prevention and humanitarian relief efforts. However, Taiwan's current fleet of large research vessels is insufficient to meet these demands. Minister Kuan Bi-ling of the Ocean Affairs Council stated that while NAMR continues to conduct comprehensive surveys of Taiwan's marine territories to meet observational needs, the OAC is also actively planning the establishment of a dedicated research vessel fleet to enhance the nation's marine survey capabilities. It is hoped that the research vessel fleet currently being planned and developed by the NAMR will become a critical asset for Taiwan's marine surveys. This fleet is expected to significantly enhance the nation's ability to accumulate and deepen research outcomes, enabling Taiwan to make more substantial contributions to various international marine-related public issues.

Today (8th), Premier Chen Chien-jen visited Keelung to inspect the Dawulun Buoy Monitoring Station and the Real-Time UAV Imaging System for Marine Safety. He was accompanied by Kuan Bi-ling, Minister of the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC), as well as NAMR President Chen Jiahn-horng and Liao De-sheng , Director of the Northern Branch of the Coast Guard Administration (CGA).
Since 2020, the OAC has promoted the "Tribute to the Ocean" policy. In line with this initiative, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) established the "GoOcean" Marine Recreation Risk Information Platform, which provides environmental data and skill-level recommendations for recreational activities in four pilot marine areas: Keelung, Yilan, Hengchun, and Penghu. This platform has cultivated public awareness of individual responsibility, with the GoOcean website receiving 930,000 user inquiries to date.
Premier Chen emphasized the critical importance of automated marine monitoring technologies for assessing national marine recreation risks. Through the deployment of marine buoys and anchored subsurface moorings, along with plans to introduce advanced systems such as autonomous vehicles, real-time changes in marine environments can be effectively tracked. These systems enhance maritime safety, support predictive decision-making in rescue operations, and translate complex marine data into user-friendly real-time risk indicators, such as a "red-green light" system, to promote transparent, open, and safe recreational activities at sea. Premier Chen expressed his gratitude to the OAC and NAMR for their ongoing marine scientific research and surveys, which provide accessible information to the public, enabling familiarity with, proximity to, and safe use of marine resources. These efforts also benefit related government agencies, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and National Science and Technology Council, supporting the collective development of a sustainable and healthy marine nation.
Minister Kuan Bi-ling reaffirmed the OAC's commitment to the "Three Securities"—National Security, Public Security, and Safety. To ensure marine safety, NAMR has developed systems such as buoy networks and shore-based radar. Keelung has been designated as the pilot site for these initiatives, with plans to establish Tainan's Anping Coast as a base for conducting demonstration projects related to marine recreation safety. These efforts aim to build a modernized marine safety network for future generations, incorporating advanced technological applications to enhance the nation's marine security capabilities. Additionally, to support Coast Guard personnel in their missions, the CGA pioneered the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), becoming the first domestic agency to do so. From 2018 to 2019, 20 rotary-wing UAVs were deployed for missions such as security patrols, search and rescue operations, and environmental monitoring. In 2023 alone, UAVs were deployed in 185 missions, including 82 security patrols, 33 search and rescue operations, 13 environmental monitoring tasks, and 57 special projects.
Premier Chen also attended a briefing by NAMR President Jiahn-horng Chen on the "Tribute to the Ocean: Marine Recreation Safety Monitoring and Information System" and conducted an on-site inspection of the related equipment. The Premier commended the OAC and NAMR for the "National Marine Safety and Sustainability Plan," which integrates technologies such as marine environmental monitoring and recreation risk assessment to implement national policies that ensure transparent, open, safe, and secure recreational activities at sea.

In the face of climate change, global warming, energy transitions, and net-zero carbon policies, marine scientists worldwide emphasize the need for greater integration and international collaboration in ocean research to address the challenges ahead. As the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) marks its 5th anniversary, it aligned with the United Nations' ocean vision goals by hosting the inaugural International Vision Marine Conference on April 23–24 at the Garden Villa Hotel in Kaohsiung City. The event brought together 250 experts and scholars from 10 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Sweden, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Over 150 interdisciplinary marine research findings focusing on solutions to global ocean challenges were presented.
The keynote speakers included Dr. Mike Spranger, Professor Emeritus from the University of Florida with 35 years of experience in the Sea Grant program, and Dr. Shin'ichi Kuramoto, Executive Director of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). They shared insights into ocean research efforts in the United States and Japan and their societal impacts, highlighting mechanisms for global collaboration and practical applications in marine science.
The conference featured 20 breakout forums that explored a diverse range of topics, including ocean hydrology and modeling, marine biodiversity, remote sensing, marine geological exploration, marine ecology, ocean energy, marine biogeochemistry, and marine biotechnology. Other areas of focus included the applications of big data in marine research, environmental change, underwater archaeology, ocean literacy, marine policy and education, ship model testing and development, ocean culture, and various cross-disciplinary ocean topics. NAMR researchers actively participated in these forums, presenting their findings and engaging with international scholars in dynamic exchanges. The event also included a student poster competition to encourage young talent to pursue ocean research. This initiative symbolizes a commitment to fostering the next generation of marine scientists and underscores the spirit of ocean heritage and sustainable development.
The event also showcased the research achievements of the NAMR since its establishment, highlighting its pivotal role in advancing marine science. Key accomplishments included the development of research vessels to facilitate comprehensive baseline surveys of Taiwan's waters and the creation of the National Ocean Database and Sharing System (NODASS), enabling marine experts to propose data-driven solutions for ocean-related challenges. NAMR has also established a Marine Recreation Risk Information Platform to minimize risks associated with marine recreational activities, developed technologies for Kuroshio Current power generation to promote green energy transition, and set up a National Ship Model Laboratory and national ship testing team to modernize Taiwan's shipbuilding industry. Further achievements included constructing an eDNA database to explore the relationship between marine life and environmental changes, establishing the Taiping Island research station in the Spratly Islands to enhance South China Sea studies, and investigating coastal toponyms and settlements to promote sustainable development of coastal culture and history. NAMR also introduced international ocean literacy education materials to enhance public understanding of marine issues.
In her opening remarks, Wen-ling Hong, Deputy Minister of the Ocean Affairs Council, stated that the founding of NAMR was driven by the principle, "We need science, and we want the ocean." Over the past five years since establishment, NAMR has served as a pioneer, collaborating with global scholars to integrate marine research and providing scientific foundations for ocean policies developed by the Ocean Affairs Council. The Vision Marine Conference reflected global trends in marine research, emphasizing the societal impact of scientific achievements and aligning with the Barcelona Declaration's call for increased global investment in ocean science. As a member of the international marine community, Taiwan is fully prepared to meet the challenges of building a sustainable ocean future.
 

The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) has launched the "Comprehensive Environmental DNA Dataset for Marine Baseline Ecological Surveys" which is now available on the National Ocean Database And Sharing System (NODASS). This achievement marks a milestone in Taiwan's marine research domain. Leveraging environmental DNA (eDNA) technology, NAMR successfully collected marine environmental DNA information from over 100 sampling stations across Taiwan's marine territories. The dataset encompasses the species composition of three major biological groups: microorganisms, eukaryotes, and fish.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) refers to genetic material left by organisms in their environment whose sources include naturally shed skin cells or scales. This innovative technology enables scientists to extract genetic sequences from a single cup of seawater, capturing the DNA of organisms ranging from microorganisms to large marine animals, including elusive species, without significantly disturbing their natural habitat. This approach helps scientists explore marine species richness, diversity, and distribution. It is particularly useful for tracking invasive species and monitoring biodiversity, facilitating more effective management and conservation of marine resources.
NAMR has released the "Comprehensive Environmental DNA Dataset for Marine Baseline Ecological Surveys" on the NODASS platform. This dataset allows users to carry out searches based on parameters such as survey location, time, project name, and species name using an interactive geospatial map, serving as an invaluable resource for researchers in marine biodiversity and interested members of the public.
In addition to the dataset, NAMR provides advanced tools and information, including historical eDNA survey results, species composition visualizations, and sequence alignment functionalities. Researcher Kang-ning Shen from the Marine Ecology and Conservation Research Center of NAMR stated that the "Taiwan Fish 12S Sequence Database" now includes 2,584 fish species. Scholars interested in marine biodiversity can use the eDNA search platform for sequence alignment and download individual 12S sequences for specific fish species. Since 2023, Assistant Research Fellow Yi-hsuan Chen and her team from the Marine Ecology and Conservation Research Center have been conducting the "Marine Environmental DNA Information Collection Project." This dataset will continue to be updated, offering more comprehensive information for environmental DNA surveys across Taiwan's marine territories.
NAMR President Jiahn-horng Chen stated that the comprehensive marine baseline surveys conducted from 2023 to 2026 include hydrological studies, seafloor topography analysis, and ecological surveys. All of these valuable marine datasets are being integrated into the NODASS platform to create a robust foundation for advanced marine science applications. This initiative aligns with Taiwan's long-term policy for comprehensive, practical, and open government data.

 

The Chairperson of the Ocean Affairs Council, Pi-ling Kuan, attended the launch event of the GoOcean App (Marine Recreation Risk Information App), developed in accordance with the "Respect the Sea" policy, at the National Academy of Marine Research on December 26th.In her opening speech, Minister Bi-ling Kuan highlighted the contributions of the Ocean Affairs Council and its assistance to the Executive Yuan in promoting the "Salute to the Sea " policy since 2020. The council has actively supported local governments in enhancing communication with private organizations and improving risk notifications, safety measures, and rescue capabilities in recreational areas, following the principles of "openness and effective management" in marine safety. Minister Kuan emphasized her commitment to the "Three Safeties and Four (Comprehensive) Maritime" policy, particularly focusing on the "pre-disaster risk disclosure" and "post-disaster immediate rescue" aspects of the "safety" strategy. In 2024, she plans to allocate a budget of up to NTD 35 million to collaborate with local governments in enhancing the marine safety networks.

Furthermore, what particularly impressed her was the contribution of the National Academy of Marine Research to technology-assisted governance and technology benefits for the people. In 4 demonstration areas, namely the North Coast, Northeast Corner, Pengnan, and Hengchun Peninsula, the academy strengthens marine environmental monitoring and assesses recreational risks using new technologies. Researchers, through innovative thinking and interdisciplinary collaboration, transform initially complex marine information into easily understandable real-time risk information, represented by a "traffic light" system, thus making marine recreation safer. This holds significant and indicative value for realizing the principles of "information transparency," "clear risk assessment," and "accountability" in the "Salute to the Sea" strategy.

Minister Kuan also mentioned that, upon assuming office, she instructed the National Academy of Marine Research to internationalize the GoOcean and provide a user-friendly mobile app. This initiative aims to enable Taiwanese citizens and foreign tourists to enjoy Taiwan's beautiful marine islands for recreation and sports, ensuring a joyful marine experience and a safe return home. The National Academy of Marine Research has collaborated with users from various fields to develop an English version and a mobile app.

The launch event specifically invited several marine enthusiasts who actively participated in optimizing the GoOcean app. Transitioning from users to contributors, they collectively witnessed the birth of this marine app. All participants unanimously acknowledged that GoOcean, developed independently by the Taiwanese, offers more accurate, comprehensive, and user-friendly information than other foreign software. It is considered an excellent tool for individuals new to marine activities and those eager to explore the ocean.

In line with these user endorsements, the National Academy of Marine Research hopes to continue promoting the GoOcean app's marine recreation risk information services to the Taiwanese public. This effort is seen as significantly contributing to the country's goal of opening up the ocean under the premise of safety. Minister Bi-ling Kuan also encourages the public to download and use the app extensively, emphasizing the importance of protecting one's safety while fostering love and closeness to the ocean.

The National Academy of Marine Research held the first "NODASS Marine Big Data Master Competition" from August 14th to August 16th, hosting a teachers' workshop and a consensus camp for participating teams. Industry lecturers were invited to teach Python programming language and Microsoft Power BI visual analysis software during the competition. With the integration of the National Ocean Database And Sharing System’s database, students learned to apply these tools in processing raw data and data analysis, aiming to inspire students' interest in scientific research and foster potential for independent research. The system cultivated abilities to share the process of scientific exploration, express creativity, and develop narrative skills. The system also supports participating teams in effectively utilizing and enriching their research results to compete for generous prizes.
In 2022, the National Academy of Marine Research completed the establishment of the "National Ocean Database And Sharing System (NODASS)", which has collected 109 sets of marine data both domestically and internationally. The database includes over 300 million hydrological data entries, nearly 80 million ecological data entries, and more than 430,000 land change data entries. The platform provides functions such as vessel tracking, marine spatiotemporal exploration, and global hybrid coordinate ocean modeling. Through integration, sharing, and utilization, these data can be applied to various marine-related developments and planning.
Participants utilize data from the NODASS platform, allowing students to apply scientific knowledge and methods to problem-solving abilities and promoting teamwork among students to collaboratively solve problems. The competition will help broaden the international perspective and worldview of Taiwan's young students, cultivate students with scientific research potential to engage in marine-related scientific research, connect with international maritime affairs and changing situations, strengthen marine science research education, and prepare for the nation's future marine technology talents.
After completing the teachers' workshop and team consensus camp sessions, participating teams must submit research works on marine-related content such as marine life, maritime culture, and marine ecology. After preliminary and final selections, awards will be given based on the overall score of the work: 3 teams for the High Distinction Award, 3 teams for the Excellence Award, and 4 teams for the Honorable Mention Award, for a total of 10 teams. The High Distinction teams will also have the opportunity to participate in the Asian Big Data Competition to showcase their research achievements overseas.
The competition encourages facing the ocean bravely, making good use of existing marine resources, maintaining sustainable development, and constructing a friendly environment where humans and the ocean can coexist and thrive together.

The National Academy of Marine Research (hereinafter referred to as NAMR) has been promoting the policy of "Salute to the Seas" by the Executive Yuan, providing safety information for navigation and recreational maritime activity. In cooperation with the Coastal Ocean Monitoring Center of the National Cheng Kung University and GeOceanTech Co., Ltd., NAMR has jointly deployed meteorological data buoys in Taiwan’s national waters to monitor real-time oceanographic and meteorological data such as wave height, ocean currents, wind speed, air temperature, and barometric pressure since 2020. Currently, NAMR has deployed a total of 6 large data buoys and 4 small data buoys scattered across Taiwan's northern and northeastern seas, Kenting, and other waters around the Penghu outer islands.
Typhoon Doksuri passed through the Taiwan Strait yesterday (28th), bringing strong winds to the southwestern land areas and stirring up massive waves in the Taiwan Strait. The typhoon was only about 50 kilometers away from NAMR's Dongjiyu buoy when it passed the Penghu waters. The buoy happened to be situated right in the strongest wind area of the typhoon, detecting a force 10 storm. At 4 a.m. on the 28th, the Dongjiyu buoy detected a significant wave height of 14.3 meters with the maximum instantaneous wave height exceeding 20 meters, which was over the height of a seven-story building. This is referred to as "exceptionally high waves" in the Beaufort scale, which marked the largest wave height ever recorded in the Penghu Coastal Area since oceanographic observations began. The wind speed measured at the time exceeded 150 kilometers per hour after conversion, representing a level 10 "storm" which is indeed rare. The fact that the NAMR buoy could still function normally under these extreme sea conditions demonstrates that Taiwan’s oceanic observation technology has reached international standards, making it a powerful tool for typhoon research.
Dr. Chen Jiahn-horng, President of NAMR, pointed out that NAMR has been implementing the policy of "Salute to the Seas" by the Executive Yuan, exhibiting achievements in various fields such as marine science research, maritime industry promotion, and marine life surveys, with extraordinary results in the field of meteorological monitoring.
In addition to the Dongjiyu buoy in Penghu, other buoy and radar stations were operating normally during this typhoon period. Monitoring extreme sea conditions can assist regulatory authorities in planning accurate management strategies and construction disaster prevention measures. The observed data also integrates numerical models to establish a maritime recreational risk information platform, providing safety messages for marine areas to help the public safely interact with the ocean and enjoy the happiness that the ocean brings.

The National Academy of Marine Research has held the National Children’s Ocean Painting Competition for four consecutive years. Through the themed painting guidance, children are encouraged to draw their connection to the sea, experience, or imagination. The academy received over two thousand submissions this year (2023). On April 22nd, a panel of judges selected a total of 84 award-winning paintings.
Taiwan is surrounded by the sea on all sides, and the lives of Taiwanese people are closely linked with the ocean. Due to Taiwan’s unique geographic location and the impact of immigration and foreign maritime cultures, Taiwanese people have had more opportunities to absorb various cultural celebrations and have integrated these influences to develop a unique island culture and a rich variety of traditional marine activities and celebrations across Taiwan. The National Academy of Marine Research organized this competition with the theme of "Ocean Festival," encouraging elementary school students to paint their understanding and imagination of traditional marine activities or celebrations.
The award ceremony of this painting competition was held today (21st) at the Courtyard Lounge in Building A of the Kaohsiung Software Technology Park. Kuan Bi-ling, Chairperson of the Ocean Affairs Council, and Dr. Chen Jiahn-horng, President of the National Academy of Marine Research, presented the awards. Chairperson Kuan started the ceremony with two stories, mentioning her lack of talent in painting and expressing her admiration for the award-winning children as great artists. She also shared some insights about the marine life cycle which provides over 50% of the Earth's oxygen, highlighting the importance of protecting the ocean. Chairperson Kuan hopes that all the children attending the ceremony will become heroes who protect the ocean in the future. The award ceremony was followed by a group photo taken with props on display, making the ceremony more lively and fun.
During the award ceremony, Liao Zi-hu from Yunlin County's Yunlin Elementary School, the gold-prize winner in the lower grades category, shared his work "Fun Journey with the Manatee". His concept was to casually enjoy the sea breeze and interesting intertidal activities on a bullock cart and to depict the scene of manatees collecting oysters. Wu Meng-jie from Taoyuan City's Linsen Elementary School, the gold-prize winner in the middle grades category, introduced her work "Tug-of-War with the Ocean", showcasing the 200-year-old fishing method in Yilan with Taiwanese beach seine. Guo Dai-ling from Changhua County's ChiaoHsin Elementary School, the gold-prize winner in the higher grades category, expressed the traditional Hakka beach seine-pulling activity from multiple perspectives. During the sharing process, Chairperson Kuan also took the opportunity to educate the children on the recent tragic event where a rare leatherback turtle died due to intestinal damage caused by two fishing lines found in its stomach, promoting the importance of responsible and proper discards of fishing nets. Additionally, parents of the award-winning students shared interesting experiences about collecting oysters with manatees in Changhua, inviting other participants to experience it firsthand when they have the chance.
From the works of elementary school students nationwide, there are many wonderful presentations of traditional marine activities or celebrations. Many of the works are uniquely delightful, even without winning an award. The children documented local maritime activity features and their fondness for marine activities. This demonstrates that through daily life and personal experiences, children have gained a profound understanding of the rich and diverse traditional marine activities and celebrations developed in different places.
After the ceremony, award-winning students and their parents were invited to the Donglong Temple in Donggang, Pingtung, for a professional guided tour of Taiwan's king-boat-burning culture. They headed to Dapeng Bay shortly after for a yacht tour to appreciate the scenery of Oyster Shell Island and the inner sea, experiencing different aspects of the ocean.
All paintings in the competition have been uploaded online, and everyone is welcome to view the paintings on the official event website. Looking forward to next year, the National Academy of Marine Research will continue to hold the National Children's Ocean Painting Competition. The academy hopes to guide elementary school students to understand maritime culture and knowledge through themed guidance. Details of follow-up activities will be announced on the academy’s official website.

Aiming to promote ocean literacy education, the National Academy of Marine Research held three Ocean Science Sequence teaching material workshops for seed teachers in northern, central, and southern Taiwan this year (2023). The workshops concluded successfully on July 2nd, marking a new milestone in promoting marine education with over 50 seed teachers participating!
Each workshop introduced the content and development background of the Ocean Science Sequence (OSS) teaching materials in detail. Jonathan Curley, the Vice Director of the Learning Design Team from the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley, was invited for an on-site trial lesson. A demonstrating trial teaching lesson by an experienced lecturer was indeed enriching for all the seed teachers.
The National Academy of Marine Research pointed out that the workshops were centered around the Ocean Science Sequence teaching materials, intending to provide seed teachers with a deeper understanding of the learning objectives and core values of each lesson through an engaging format with logical thinking and group discussions. The workshops emphasized the importance of the ocean for the current global environment and climate change. The goal was to cultivate citizens with ocean literacy, help teachers and educators enhance their marine knowledge, foster students' environmental consciousness, and prepare them to face complex climate change and environmental issues.
The Ocean Science Sequence teaching material, published by the Education Department of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), helps students in exploring important marine science concepts. The material provides learning opportunities that guide students in independently uncovering the mysteries of marine life and understanding how the ocean influences their daily lives. Students can learn with joy, inspiring continued exploration of the ocean and the natural world. The material also connects with international concepts of ocean literacy, introducing Taiwanese people to international ocean literacy materials.
Based on the policy direction of ocean literacy enhancement of all citizens as indicated in the "Ocean Basic Act" and the "National Ocean Policy White Paper," the National Academy of Marine Research plans to launch 30 school teaching activities in July. The goal is to promote the Ocean Science Sequence teaching materials to primary schools nationwide and benefit more students. Primary schools and teachers (mainly middle and high grades) that are interested in the Ocean Science Sequence teaching materials and marine education topics are welcome to register for school teaching activities from today. Details of the activities are also announced on the official website and Facebook fan page of the National Academy of Marine Research.
The National Academy of Marine Research looks forward to supporting schools and educators in promoting marine science and marine education through these school teaching activities. Through systematic learning methods, students will be able to deeply understand the knowledge and development trends in the field of marine science. Integrating marine knowledge into classrooms will enrich students' learning experiences while enhancing their scientific literacy and environmental consciousness.

Aiming to promote ocean literacy education, the National Academy of Marine Research held three Ocean Science Sequence teaching material workshops for seed teachers in northern, central, and southern Taiwan this year (2023). The workshops concluded successfully on July 2nd, marking a new milestone in promoting marine education with over 50 seed teachers participating!
Each workshop introduced the content and development background of the Ocean Science Sequence (OSS) teaching materials in detail. Jonathan Curley, the Vice Director of the Learning Design Team from the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley, was invited for an on-site trial lesson. A demonstrating trial teaching lesson by an experienced lecturer was indeed enriching for all the seed teachers.
The National Academy of Marine Research pointed out that the workshops were centered around the Ocean Science Sequence teaching materials, intending to provide seed teachers with a deeper understanding of the learning objectives and core values of each lesson through an engaging format with logical thinking and group discussions. The workshops emphasized the importance of the ocean for the current global environment and climate change. The goal was to cultivate citizens with ocean literacy, help teachers and educators enhance their marine knowledge, foster students' environmental consciousness, and prepare them to face complex climate change and environmental issues.
The Ocean Science Sequence teaching material, published by the Education Department of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), helps students in exploring important marine science concepts. The material provides learning opportunities that guide students in independently uncovering the mysteries of marine life and understanding how the ocean influences their daily lives. Students can learn with joy, inspiring continued exploration of the ocean and the natural world. The material also connects with international concepts of ocean literacy, introducing Taiwanese people to international ocean literacy materials.
Based on the policy direction of ocean literacy enhancement of all citizens as indicated in the "Ocean Basic Act" and the "National Ocean Policy White Paper," the National Academy of Marine Research plans to launch 30 school teaching activities in July. The goal is to promote the Ocean Science Sequence teaching materials to primary schools nationwide and benefit more students. Primary schools and teachers (mainly middle and high grades) that are interested in the Ocean Science Sequence teaching materials and marine education topics are welcome to register for school teaching activities (registration link: https://forms.gle/ABrEtMEGkvo2MNYx6) from today. Details of the activities are also announced on the official website and Facebook fan page of the National Academy of Marine Research.
The National Academy of Marine Research looks forward to supporting schools and educators in promoting marine science and marine education through these school teaching activities. Through systematic learning methods, students will be able to deeply understand the knowledge and development trends in the field of marine science. Integrating marine knowledge into classrooms will enrich students' learning experiences while enhancing their scientific literacy and environmental consciousness.

The National Academy of Marine Research has signed a copyright license agreement with the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley, regarding the "Ocean Science Sequence" (OSS) teaching materials. Dr. Chen Jiahn-horng, President of the National Academy of Marine Research, and Craig Strang, Vice Director of the Teaching Department at the Lawrence Hall of Science, co-signed the agreement via a video conference. Jonathan Curley, Senior Course Specialist from the Learning Design Team at the Lawrence Hall of Science was also invited to attend and give a congratulatory speech. This marks a new chapter in the joint promotion of ocean literacy through the Ocean Science Sequence by both parties. The signing ceremony took place inside the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology.
The President of the National Academy of Marine Research, Chen Jiahn-horng, pointed out that the Ocean Science Sequence teaching material, published by the Education Department of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), helps students in exploring important marine science concepts. The material provides learning opportunities that guide students in independently uncovering the mysteries of marine life and understanding how the ocean influences their daily lives. Students can learn with joy, inspiring continued exploration of the ocean and the natural world. The material also connects with international concepts of ocean literacy, introducing Taiwanese people to international ocean literacy materials.
The President of the National Academy of Marine Research, Chen Jiahn-horng, emphasized that the signing of this copyright license agreement will enhance the academy's future efforts to promote international ocean literacy. It will enhance people's understanding of basic principles and foundational concepts about the ocean, sustainable development centered on the ocean, and interactions between the ocean, the surrounding environment, and living organisms. Moreover, it will help establish comprehensive ocean literacy and the future citizens’ adaptability to global changes by connecting them with the ocean.

  In collaboration with the Asociación Taiwanesa de Hispanistas, the Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences at the National Tsing Hua University, the Institute of Taiwan History at Academia Sinica, and the Department of Social Sciences at the National Taiwan University, the National Academy of Marine Research held a conference titled "Formosa in the Spanish Era" today (the 17th) at the National Taiwan University. People with particular interests in Taiwanese history, Hokkien languages, and Spanish-related topics were invited to explore the history of the Spanish in Taiwan.
The President of the National Academy of Marine Research, Chen Jiahn-horng, stated that the Spanish referred to Taiwan as "Formosa." Although they only stayed in Taiwan for less than 20 years, the time spent on the island had a great impact on many achievements made by the Spanish during the Age of Discovery. People have been interacting through the sea for a long time, resulting in an intimate dependency between marine activities and human cultural development and history. By examining official and non-official historical records left by the Spanish people in the peripheral regions of East Asia, one can better understand the diversity of maritime culture and the importance of the ocean to human society.
  This conference invites experts and scholars to share their research findings and insights in fields such as archaeology, linguistics, and history. The conference has also invited a special guest, Dr. Tsang Cheng-hwa, to give a keynote speech on his research for the Spanish-related ruins on Peace Island in Keelung. The goal of the conference is to come up with a solution to pass down the history and cultural heritage of Formosa during the Spanish era in a more comprehensive way through discussions and exchanges. With the integration of Spanish society and its role in modern Taiwan, one can better understand and face the challenges and opportunities brought about by globalization.

  The National Academy of Marine Research participated in the marine-themed exhibition with a focus on "Sustainable Oceans" at the "Fourth National Oceans Day." President Tsai Ing-wen visited the exhibition today after the celebration ceremony. Dr. Chen Jiahn-horng, President of the National Academy of Marine Research, explained to President Tsai the achievements of the academy's sustainable ocean research. This includes the "National Ocean Database And Sharing System" (NODASS), which collects national marine survey information and marine model forecasts and serves as a foundation for many maritime affairs decisions; the "GoOcean Marine Recreation Risk Information Platform," which provides transparent risk information about marine areas and allows citizens to assess risks based on their own abilities; and ongoing efforts in developing marine green energy generation to accelerate the pace of zero-carbon energy transformation in Taiwan, with a plan to conduct a field test for a trial power generation in Taitung waters.
  President Chen pointed out to President Tsai that the "National Ocean Database And Sharing System" compiles marine monitoring data from various ministries and the Ocean Affairs Council over the years. The system covers hydrological data, ecological data, and land change data, which can be used for numerous applications such as disaster prevention in marine areas, marine ecology conservation, national security, maritime industries, and marine pollution compensation, serving as the scientific foundation for Taiwan's development into a maritime nation.
  President Chen then explained that the "GoOcean Marine Recreation Risk Information Platform" is a specific application of the database. This new platform has been specially developed for Taiwanese citizens' safety during marine recreation, allowing them to assess their risk based on their own abilities and real-time conditions in the marine area. As summer approaches, the National Academy of Marine Research also invited President Tsai to promote the GoOcean platform. The academy encourages everyone planning for marine recreational activities to visit this platform first to assess potential risks, ensuring a fun and safe trip.
  President Chen also introduced marine green energy generation since President Tsai has always supported green energy research and the development of green electricity. Last year, the National Academy of Marine Research successfully anchored and tested a current energy generator in the waters around Liuqiu Island. This generator was jointly developed by the National Academy of Marine Research and domestic research universities with power generation capacity as expected. This year, the academy plans to conduct more extensive and long-term field tests in the Taitung waters. President Chen invited President Tsai to attend the field test in cheering for the development of Taiwan's marine green energy.
  Throughout the briefing on the research results by the National Academy of Marine Research, President Tsai frequently nodded and smiled, affirming the academy's efforts. The National Academy of Marine Research has continuously set up important foundations for Taiwan on the path to becoming a maritime nation, upholding the spirit of sustainability and progressing on scientific research related to maritime affairs since the establishment of the academy four years ago, In the future, the National Academy of Marine Research will commit to conducting foundational marine surveys, striving towards the vision of being a maritime nation that aligns with international standards.

  The Ocean Affairs Council held the "Fourth National Oceans Day" from June 8th to 10th at the Hi-Ing Music Hall in Kaohsiung Music Center. The National Academy of Marine Research participated in the marine-themed exhibition with a focus on "Sustainable Oceans." Various marine scientific research instruments and models were displayed on site in coordination with other activities such as family events and interactive checkpoints. Friends of all ages were all welcome to visit.
  The Ocean Affairs Council held the third National Oceans Day and related series of activities online last year (2022) due to the impact of the pandemic. This year (2023), all activities were held physically. The National Academy of Marine Research showcases recent marine research results at the marine-themed exhibition, including: the National Ocean Database And Sharing System, which serves as a foundation for many maritime affairs decisions; the GoOcean Marine Recreation Risk Information Platform, which allows citizens to assess risks based on their own abilities; the development of marine green energy generation in Taiwan; educational programs on marine energy that are both fun and informative; comprehensive ecological surveys across all marine areas to broaden people's horizons; and the promotion of diverse sustainable values through maritime culture and more. There were also on-site displays of scientific instruments used by the National Academy of Marine Research for marine-related surveys, including acoustic equipment, Vibrio vulnificus monitoring systems, and marine meteorological monitoring instruments. The Underwater Vehicle R&D Center from the National Sun Yat-sen University was invited to showcase domestically-developed underwater human-operated vehicles. The TAO-HAI-REN[A1]  (means “fisherman” in Mandarin Chinese) team from the National Cheng Kung University was also invited to showcase their self-developed human-powered submarine, which had won the Best Newcomer Award at the European International Submarine Races. The exhibition provided opportunities for the public to have a close-up look at marine research-related equipment, unveiling the mysteries of marine research.
  The President of the National Academy of Marine Research, Chen Jiahn-horng, stated that the focus for the marine-themed exhibition on the fourth National Oceans Day was “Sustainable Oceans.” The Academy showcased the advancing development in marine science research since the establishment of the National Academy of Marine Research four years ago. Everyone was welcome to visit and participate as marine civil scientists. In the future, the National Academy of Marine Research will commit to conducting foundational marine surveys, leading innovations in marine technology, policy and cultural research, and promoting maritime talent development. The academy will persist in expanding its marine research capabilities and strive towards the vision of being a maritime nation that aligns with international standards.

The National Academy of Marine Research successfully held the "2023 National Maritime Talent Development Forum" today (June 5th). The forum focused on six major industry talent development topics: shipbuilding/maintenance, marine energy/engineering, ocean/coastal governance, marine information/monitoring, marine ecology/biotechnology, and marine popularization/ocean literacy. Over 100 experts from industries, government, academia, and research institutions gathered to discuss and propose policy directions for Taiwan's maritime talent development.
  The theme of this forum is "Moving Towards the Next Decade of Sustainable Oceans," which echoes the fourth National Oceans Day promotional activities organized by the Ocean Affairs Council in 2023, demonstrating the emphasis on sustainable ocean development. The National Academy of Marine Research invited 12 experts to discuss and exchange views on national talent development policies for the six major topics, collaboratively planning the vision for sustainable maritime talent development in Taiwan.
  During the opening ceremony, the President of the National Academy of Marine Research, Dr. Chen Jiahn-horng, stated that the robust development of the maritime industry holds irreplaceable importance for Taiwan. The "Marine Industry Development Act" passed its third reading in the Legislative Yuan on the 26th of last month, marking an important step forward for Taiwan to become a high-quality maritime nation with a focus on ecology, safety, and prosperity. As Taiwan's dedicated marine research institution, the National Academy of Marine Research has valued maritime talent development in all areas for a long time. This forum integrates the perspectives of talent demand from the industry side and talent supply from the academic side, jointly discussing the gap between talent supply and demand to promote the in-depth development of industry-government-academic cooperation. Through discussion and planning among industry, government, academia, and research institutions, Taiwan can set up national-level directions and mechanisms for maritime talent training and promote the development of maritime professionals and industry. The National Academy of Marine Research will continue to actively cultivate national maritime talents, lead the innovation in marine science and technology research, and continually expand the capabilities in marine research to better support the development of Taiwan's maritime industry.
  The opinions and suggestions from experts and scholars at this forum will be recorded in "Ocean Affairs 3 - Maritime Industry Edition," providing valuable references for the Ocean Affairs Council for the new edition of the "National Ocean Policy White Paper." Both the Ocean Affairs Council and the National Academy of Marine Research are committed to promoting sustainable ocean development in Taiwan, in the hope of cultivating more excellent maritime professionals for Taiwan and fostering the prosperous development of Taiwan's maritime industry.

The National Academy of Marine Research, in cooperation with the Taiwan Society of Japan Studies and the Department of Political Science at the National Cheng Kung University, held a conference about “Building a Maritime Nation: Conference for Japan's Promotion of Ocean Literacy and Experience Exchange” today (the 2nd) at the National Cheng Kung University. The conference introduced Japan's efforts and achievements in promoting marine education as a maritime nation under geopolitical influences.
  The Chief Secretary of the National Academy of Marine Research, Weng Chien-erh, pointed out that Japan’s governmental and non-governmental units have put in significant efforts in promoting marine education due to its sea-surrounding feature with noticeable results. This conference discussed Japan's progress in ocean literacy and related issues, aiming to enhance Taiwanese understanding and exchange experience on related matters.
  The themes of the conference include several fields such as science, social science, and law. The conference examined Japan's current marine education and ocean literacy policies, the evolution of marine scientific research, the historical progression of the formation and transformation of Japan's ocean literacy education and policy, and the shaping of ocean literacy from a national strategic perspective. Experts and scholars were invited to share their research findings and views, which would help deepen the understanding of Japan's successful experience in promoting maritime development and provide valuable insights and suggestions for Taiwan's development in maritime affairs. Through a roundtable forum format, the conference further discussed various topics, hoping to make practical contributions to the development of maritime affairs and pave a brighter future for maritime nations.

Excessive sand mining in waters from the north of the Taiwan Strait to Matsu, and southward to the shoals off Taiwan in recent years has significantly impacted the construction of submarine cables and marine ecological resources. The Ocean Affairs Council held an international conference on the Impact of Sand Mining in Marine Areas today (the 31st) at the Howard Civil Service International House in Taipei. The Chairperson, Kuan Bi-ling, stressed the need for international attention to the changes caused by illegal seabed sand extraction. Furthermore, through strategic analysis, legal research, observations of marine ecological resources and seabed topography, and other international perspectives, the conference intended to provide an overview of the impacts caused by illegal sand mining in different industries to denounce actions that damage marine environmental resources in the hope to raise the global awareness for the sustainable balance of the waters in the Taiwan Strait.
  Matsu is close to the estuary of the Minjiang River in China, where nearby waters are rich in sand and gravel resources. Sand is a strategic resource, providing crucial ecosystem services and supporting significant infrastructure construction. Mainland China has been going through a shortage and gravel since 2018, leading to a surge in the price of these resources. Thus, the Chinese authorities have assigned an area within 12 nautical miles off the coast of Juguang Township (Baiquan Islands) in Matsu as the designated sand extraction zone to supply resources for development projects along the mainland coast. This project brings a large number of ships congregating around the waters of Matsu for sand mining and transportation; some ships even crossed the boundary into restricted areas within Matsu for illegal sand mining, causing changes to the seabed topography and damage to the biological habitats on Matsu’s islands and its marine ecological environment. Negative global impressions have arisen from the active reporting by international media on China's illegal sand mining. Recently, there has been a noticeable decrease in illegal sand mining in the waters around Matsu due to the strengthening of law enforcement from the Coast Guard Administration of the Ocean Affairs Council against such activities.
  The Institute has conducted ecological surveys in the waters around Matsu since 2021 and carried out seabed feature mapping and the survey of marine ecology in the waters around the Matsu archipelago in 2022 per the four-year special investigation and monitoring plan approved by the Executive Yuan. By employing seabed mapping techniques and ecological surveys in the waters around Matsu and the Taiwanese shoals, the Institute is able to collect crucial foundational information about the Taiwan Strait from a marine science perspective. Key data such as the characteristics of seabed topography and marine ecological species are beneficial as references for government law enforcement. In this conference, the Institute presents the high-resolution topographic profiles of the Taiwanese shoals (Fig. 1) and Matsu waters (Fig. 2), based on the multibeam seabed mapping results in recent years. These profiles reveal the large holes in the terrain caused by human sand mining to the extent and depth beyond natural recovery, which may indirectly affect the changes in Taiwan's marine territory and coastal topography.
  Based on the Institute’s 2022 survey results of a 150-square-kilometer area in the Matsu waters, about 40% of the seabed in the sand mining area around Matsu is covered with unnaturally large and irregularly sized mining pits. Some of these pits have significant dimensions (reaching up to 592 square meters and 5 meters deep), indicating a notable change in the terrain due to sand mining. Side-scan sonar mapping also revealed leftover sand mining pipes in the survey area as further evidence of the mining activities. Moreover, surveys of plankton and benthic organisms showed that the abundance of planktonic plants and juvenile fish in the sand mining areas is lower than in non-mining areas, further illustrating the impact of sand mining on marine ecosystems.
  The Institute has initiated special investigations into "seabed topography mapping," "plankton and water quality," and "benthic ecology" in the sand mining areas from southern Nangan Island to the eastern and western Juguang islands of Matsu since 2022. The Institute has planned to expand the surveying and monitoring work in the aforementioned marine areas from 2023 to 2025. The Institute will continue to monitor and survey the ecological resources and environment around the Matsu waters in line with its responsibilities. The Institute aims to establish basic biological and environmental data for sea mining areas to provide scientific evidence regarding the impacts of sand mining on Matsu's ecological environment. This will serve as a reference for the global communities on topics such as sustainable development, territorial security, and marine conservation policies.

  The National Academy of Marine Research and the Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Office signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday (the 4th) to promote mutual communications and enhance the integration of government resources.
  The Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Office, formerly known as the International Hydrographic Organization, was established in Wusong, Shanghai in 1922, marking the start of naval oceanographic exploration. After several reorganizations, it was consolidated into the Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Office in 2005. Major responsibilities of the office include publishing all relevant national marine navigation charts, supporting defense readiness missions, and providing atmospheric and marine environmental information required by the Navy and various government agencies. The Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Office celebrated its centennial last year (2022). It was also awarded the 5th term Government Service Award by the National Development Council at the end of last year.
  The President of the National Academy of Marine Research, Chen Jiahn-horng, pointed out that the academy was established on April 24th, 2019, with only four years of history compared to the century-old Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Office. The academy continues to build and maintain meteorological observation stations, detect seafloor topography, develop marine numerical calculation models, and establish international research stations in the Spratly Islands. It also integrates domestic and foreign marine-related data to build a National Ocean Database And Sharing System. The National Academy of Marine Research and the Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Office are proposing to provide each other with existing facilities, observation instruments, equipment, manpower, and logistical support needed to enhance the integration of government resources and maximize the benefits from national resources under the premise that it does not affect the plans and research of both parties. The National Academy of Marine Research is looking forward to jointly promoting the exchange of marine numerical simulation analysis and oceanographic exploration technology with the Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Office through the signing of this memorandum of understanding.

President Chiu Yung-Fang retired on June 30, 2022, after serving as the Director of the Preparatory Office of the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) since 2018. After the establishment of the NAMR on April 24, 2019, President Chiu became the first President of the NAMR and led colleagues hand in hand in many key research projects and endeavors. During his term of office, he is noted for spearheading two projects, including the "National Ship Model Laboratory Multifunctional Water Tank Construction Project" and the "Marine Basic Data Survey Vessel Construction Project" which were approved by the Executive Yuan with a total funding of NT$6.2 billion yuan, contributing to the development of ocean affairs and marine research. He also actively facilitated the signing of MOUs with many partner institutions and schools. Under President Chiu’s outstanding leadership, the NAMR has achieved many outstanding results.
To recognize President Chiu’s lifelong dedication and passion for the ocean, the First Class Professional Medal for Marine Research and the First Class Service Medal for Civil Servants were presented at the handover ceremony to thank President Chiu for his hard work and dedication to the country and the NAMR.

On June 30, 2022, a ceremony to announce the retirement and appointment of the new President of the NAMR was held. The ceremony was officiated by Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Secretary General Liu Kuo-Lieh, and was successfully completed and witnessed by the OAC, the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) and all the staff of the NAMR.
In his address, Liu expressed his gratitude to the former President of the NAMR, Chiu Yung-Fang, for his laudable leadership and many achievements, especially for securing NT$6.2 billion in funding from the central government for two projects, the National Ship Model Laboratory and a survey vessel. President Chen holds a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from Pennsylvania State University and has served as a professor for over 3 decades. During this time, he has also served as the Chair of the Department of Systems Engineering and Naval Architecture, Dean of the College of Engineering and Dean of Academic Affairs. With a solid academic background and rich experience, commencing in September 2020, President Chen served as the Vice-President of the NAMR and led the team in many endeavors, receiving commendations from superiors and colleagues alike. There are still many research projects that the NAMR is undertaking and hiring enough talents has proven to be a key task. With President Chen at the helm, we look forward to the NAMR making new breakthroughs and striving for excellence in marine research.

With the support of the Ministry of Education, the Ocean Affairs Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan's first polar research workstation, which is a joint collaboration between the National Central University, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) and Nicolaus Copernicus University of Poland, was inaugurated at 3:00 p.m. Taiwan time (9:00 a.m. in Svalbard) on the 25th of June in the Svalbard Archipelago, located in the Arctic Circle. The establishment of the "TaiArctic" research workstation epitomizes Taiwan’s active participation in Arctic affairs with environmental monitoring and scientific research as the starting point.
For the establishment of this polar research station, a team of five from Taiwan, including: Prof. Ni Chuen-Fa, Director of the Graduate Institute of Applied Geology, National Central University; Professor Hwa Chien of the Institute of Hydrological and Oceanic Sciences, National Central University; Assistant Professor Chang Wen-He of the Department of Earth Sciences, National Central University; and Director Yang Wen-Chang and Assistant Research Fellow Li Meng-Hsueh of the Marine Science and Information Research Center of the National Academy of Marine Research flew all the way from Taiwan to the North Pole on June 22 to participate in the sacred mission.
President Chiu Yung-Fang of the NAMR pointed out that recent studies have shown that under the global climate crisis, it is estimated that the Arctic sea ice layer may gradually disappear after 2035, including its implications on global trade with the opening of the Arctic shipping lanes. Taiwan is a key maritime nation, so we profoundly understand the importance of studying the changes in the Arctic environment. Last year, Taiwan's research team has been working with a team from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland on research topics related to ice quakes, ice melting, ocean currents and changes in wave conditions in the Arctic Ocean
Today, however, the "TaiArctic" polar research workstation has written a new page for our tripartite research collaboration. In the future, the national flag will be raised at the entrance of the research station. Minister Without Portfolio Chang Jing-Sen, and Luo Meng-Fan, Director General of the Department of Natural Sciences and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Science and Technology were also present to witness the historic moment and gave their blessings. In the past, Taiwanese scholars had to rely on the facilities of other nations when conducting research in the Arctic, but now Taiwanese researchers will soon have a "home of their own". The TaiArctic research workstation not only provides Taiwanese researchers with important information on global climate change, but also lays the foundation for Taiwan's research in marine science through international cooperation, such as monitoring the Arctic marine environment, collecting basic hydrographic data, and leading domestic polar research to the international level.
Last year, NAMR’s research team and the National Central University conducted a Taiwan-Poland [CC1] cooperative observation research, utilizing geophysical instruments and self-developed marine data buoys to conduct Taiwan's first independent exploration of land-based glaciers, ice quakes, ice melting in the Fromm Strait and sea conditions[CC2] . The team’s success in obtaining valuable data has gained international attention, with Taiwan invited to co-organize the Polar Forum.
The scientific value of polar exploration and monitoring relies on the long-term accumulation of data. Considering the needs for storage, preparation, testing, maintenance and repair of polar instruments and components, as well as the living space required for personnel visits, the National Central University and the NAMR jointly rented experimental space in Longyearbyen as a prototype for the establishment of long-term research facilities, in the hope of creating more fruitful and compelling research results.

    In order to develop Taiwan’s marine science and environmental change related research, industrial promotion, and policy and education promotion, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) and the Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica (RCEC) signed the MOU today (14th). The purpose of this MOU signing is to jointly develop Taiwan’s marine science and technology research, sustainable marine environment resources, the training of marine professionals, technical exchanges, international cooperation and exchanges etc., thereby jointly creating a cooperation platform for both sides.
    Established in 2019 in Kaohsiung, the National Academy of Research is the dedicated agency of Taiwan’s marine research affairs. It engages in basic marine investigation and marine industry applied research, assists the government in marine policy planning and marine manpower training and development undertakings. Established in 2004, the Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica (RCEC) is committed to environmental sustainability development related research and mainly explores global environmental change related issues. With more than 20 researchers and 150 postgraduate researchers and research assistants, the RCEC is the largest institution of environmental science research in Taiwan.
    Through the MOU signing, both sides will strive to promote researcher and academic research related exchanges and cooperation. The items include integrating research resources and momentum, applying marine environment monitoring and investigation, developing marine science related key technologies, the R&D of marine data processing and data simulation forecasting technology, marine pollution monitoring and technology development, advanced planning and research of marine industry’s frontier technological R&D, cooperation and participation in international research survey programs, joining international research organizations and marine science environmental education, policy and industry promotion, etc. We hope to enhance Taiwan’s strength in marine science, ensure the sustainable utilization of marine resources, develop the blue economy, and implement ocean policies, thereby moving towards the goals of “OCEAN TAIWAN”.

    The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) is the dedicated agency of marine research affairs in Taiwan long engaged in basic marine surveys and research and applied research. In cooperation with the national policy, the NAMR engaged in relevant research this year (2021) and continued to engage in marine industry-government-academia cooperation. In order to advocate and display the plan results and demonstrate self-research momentum, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) successfully completed the 2021end-of-year result presentation on December 29, 2021. The annual results displayed received recognition and affirmation from controller Tien Chiu-Jing, experts, scholars, and guests.
    A result presentation was held today (29th). The Ocean Affairs Council’s “2020 Outstanding Civil Servants in the Promotion of Marine Affairs” and the Ocean Conservation Administration’s “2020 Outstanding Counties and Cities in Marine Environment Management and Assessment Plan” awarding ceremonies were conjunctively held. The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) displayed this year’s (2021) result content focuses of the presentation. The all-inclusive contents included: Completing the publication of nine professional books (including four volumes of monthly statistical annual reports on Taiwan’s sea waves, wind, current, and tide observed, winning works at the “Ocean Fun” National Children’s Painting Contest, a book titled Ocean Affairs, Taiwan’s Ocean-Coast, etc.); completing various project research plans (OCEAN TAIWAN-Surveys on the safety of beaches nationwide and the construction of sea recreation information and safety monitoring system plans, the development and promotion of the key technologies of ocean current energy, National Ship Model Laboratory’s multi-function tank setup plans, etc.). Keeping in line with the academia and practical needs, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, and public and private universities have engaged in exchanges and MOU signing.
    On the morning of the 29th, a series of Executive Yuan’s “OCEAN TAIWAN” policy result display was conducted. A research result presentation was held in the afternoon to give an overview and discuss the contents of the four-year plan. The contents included: environmental and benthic biodiversity surveys on the surrounding seas of the offshore windfarm, basic surveys on all the seas in Taiwan and marine big data creation, the National Ship Model Laboratory’s multi-function tank setup plan, marine culture and modern national governance, marine industry practitioners’ ability content analysis and training strategies, and other themes. Through the published research results, the citizens will be given an insight into the substantive research progress of the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR), as well as the domestic marine science research progress and trends.
    According to President Chiu Yung-Fang of the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR), this year’s (2021) result presentation adhering to the objective of “Moving towards OCEAN TAIWAN GO OCEAN Flourishing in Marine Research” is intended to display our research results to the citizens, while echoing the Executive Yuan’s “OCEAN TAIWAN” policy and encouraging the people to “purify the ocean”, “learn about the ocean”, “approach the ocean”, and “enter the ocean”. Since its inception, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) has actively engaged in training national marine professionals, promoting industry-government-academia cooperation, leading marine technology research innovation, and continuing to expand the marine research momentum.

    The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) Children’s Ocean Painting has been held by the NAMR for the second time. Through theme guidance, children are encouraged to draw their connection to the sea, experience, or imagination.
    In conjunction with the Executive Yuan’s OCEAN TAIWAN policy this year, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) encourages children to record their experience and imagination of engaging in marine activities with family or friends, with “Ocean Fun” as the theme. From the works by elementary school students nationwide, we see the splendid marine imagery presented by the children. Many among the works are uniquely delightful. The children have recorded the local marine activity features, their fondness for leisure activities, reflections on marine space use, and marine activity safety awareness, all of which show the children’s profound understanding of the ocean in everyday life and based on personal experience. The lower-class category-gold award recipient Lin Chien-Sheng from Xinpi Elementary School in Chiayi County has created the “Swimming with the Little Fish” work based on the creation concept: “I long to play hide and seek with my older brother and a school of fish. It must be fun”.
    In order to understand the marine literacy of children from outlying islands, specifically blending marine life into creation, President Chiu Yung-Fang of the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) led the staff to conduct the Children’s Ocean Painting Exchange Seminar at the Penghu International Diving Center on November 24th. Through face-to-face contact with the local children participants in Penghu, the creative ideas and ocean awareness are shared.
    The 2nd painting contest awarding ceremony scheduled to be held on National Ocean Day on the June 8th was postponed to November 27th in compliance with the pandemic prevention measure. The awarding event was held at the National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, where a one-month exhibition took place. President Chiu said that through the four themes of marine sports, view, environmental protection, and marine culture, the exhibition would present children’s knowledge and imagination of the sea. Everyone is welcome to visit. Looking onto next year’s 3rd National Academy of Marine Research National Children’s Ocean Painting Contest, different themes will be adopted to guide elementary school students in understanding marine knowledge. Future activity information will be successively announced on the NAMR website.

  Renewable energies have become the mainstream as they combine energy safety, environmental sustainability, and green economy. Offshore wind power is developing vigorously in Taiwan, but local certification system for offshore wind power has been lacking. Therefore, marine talent training and a certification system are the urgent tasks to be established in order to implement localization. One of NAMR’s jobs is to nurture specialized marine industry talent. Given this, the NAMR has recently organized a 16-hour competency course for offshore wind power marine operation safety for the first time. The course was overloaded with registrations on the day it was opened for enrolment, and only 26 students could be admitted in the end, demonstrating the urgency and importance of the nurturing of talents for domestic offshore wind power.
  The NAMR president, Chiu Yung-Fang indicated that the operating environment for the Taiwanese waters is complicated, in order to provide a safer marine operating environment for domestic marine operating personnel and offshore wind power practitioners, the practitioners will gain offshore wind power safety knowledge and skills, thereby reducing the education-job mismatch while accomplishing the integration of education with the job. The NAMR conducted the course design according to the steps for competency-based course quality certification with assistance from famous domestic competency experts. It further invited expert representatives who supported the promotion of this program for joint discussion, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Ministry of Labor; the Safety and Health Technology Center; CSBC Corporation, Taiwan; Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Offshore Wind Limited; Ørsted Taiwan; Ci Wind Power Development Taiwan Co., Ltd., as well as Sing Da Marine Structure. The competency course on “Hazard assessment, risk evaluation and control” for offshore wind power operation was thus established according to the localization needs, and further set up the teaching goals, design evaluation methods, and tools, as well as organize the course and learning evaluations etc. according to the competency content including the behavioral indicators, knowledge, and skills within the model.
  The course o was held between September 26 to October 3, with 5 course modules, including offshore wind power operating procedures and relevant regulations, potential hazard investigation skills and risk evaluation data for offshore wind power operating site, hazard assessment and risk evaluation tools, implementation of hazard assessment and risk evaluation, as well as hazard assessment and risk evaluation documentation. The admitted students included Labor Affairs Bureau supervisors from county and city governments, as well as offshore wind power industry-related professional personnel from Century Wind Power, Formosa Heavy Industries, Taiwan Marine Heavy Industry, CECI Engineering Consultants, Inc, Taiwan, and Dong Fang Offshore.
  Five experts with abundant practical industry experience presented each session in pairs, taking the students to learn about offshore wind power-related regulations and standards, to define the nature and scope of hazard assessment and risk evaluation, to be equipped with the documentation ability of hazard assessment and risk evaluation results, as well as to understand how to collect the relevant info for possible potential hazards and risk evaluation, and to analyze offshore wind power operating procedures. Moreover, be able to put into practice the potential hazard investigation skills and the hazard assessment techniques for offshore wind power operating sites.

  The pygmy seahorse, known as the “superstar of the sea” and the “supermodel of the crystal palace” is popular among divers because of its amusing and cute appearance, and is also one of the target species that underwater photographers yearn to spot on coral reefs. The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) recently recorded the first sighting of pygmy seahorses in the Taiwan Bank, a shallow bank about 30 nautical miles southwest of Qimei Island in the Penghu Archipelago, adding another important discovery to the rich marine biodiversity of this area.
        The Taiwan Bank has strong currents and a complex topography featuring not only sandy terrain, but also a coral reef substrate. In order to map out the current status of ecological resources in the waters surrounding Taiwan, the NAMR conducted the first underwater survey of the Taiwan Bank in 2020. This year, in collaboration with the Fisheries Research Institute of the Council of Agriculture, the "Marine Biological Information Collection and Resource Survey in the Waters Surrounding Taiwan Project" was launched to investigate the surrounding waters, where traces of pygmy seahorses were discovered.
       Researcher Cheng Ming-Hsiu of the Biodiversity Research Center of Academia Sinica, who has long been concerned about the marine ecology of Taiwan Bank, recalled that he had found two stunning pygmy seahorses during a diving survey in the waters of Manado, Indonesia, in 2003 and immediately spearheaded efforts to find pygmy seahorses in Taiwan after returning home. With the positive response and support of diving enthusiasts in Taiwan, the pygmy seahorse has been found in various coral reefs across Taiwan. According to records from the Fish Database of Taiwan, pygmy seahorses were first found in 2007 in the waters of Zhongliao Fishing Harbor on Green Island and has been documented and photographed by divers in Orchid Island (Lanyu), Penghu Islands, as well as the Northeast Coast, East Coast and Kenting on the main island of Taiwan. This discovery of pygmy seahorses on Taiwan Bank is the most unusual sighting recorded in Taiwan so far.
       The pygmy seahorse belongs to the class Actinopterygii, under the order Syngnathiformes and the genus Hippocampus. There are currently seven known species worldwide, namely Hippocampus bargibanti, H. colemani, H. denise, H. pontohi, H. satomiae, H. waleananus and H. nalu (African pygmy seahorse). The pygmy seahorse found on Taiwan Bank is a Bargibant's seahorse[PC1] , which prefers to live with its host, soft corals (Alcyonacea) that thrive on coral reefs with strong currents and feeds on plankton in the water.  The specimen will be stored by NAMR in the National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium for future research by academe.
       NAMR President Chiu Yung-Fang emphasized that the Taiwan Bank is located in Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone and the discovery of the pygmy seahorse has confirmed that the waters are also a suitable habitat for them to live in and thrive and further demonstrates that the conservation of the marine ecology of the Taiwan Bank warrants more attention. However, because of the treacherous waters of the Taiwan Bank, it is not a recommended location for diving enthusiasts to spot the seahorses. This is not only to avoid putting themselves in danger, but also to protect the seahorses from being disturbed. In the future, NAMR will continue to conduct ecological surveys in the waters of the Taiwan Bank to better grasp the status of marine biological resources and to protect the habitat of the pygmy seahorses and the rich territorial waters of Taiwan.

　　In order to develop research on the sustainable use of ocean resources and conservation, legalization of ocean affairs policies, maritime security and international strategic cooperation, big data applications on oceans, AI image recognition and ocean data simulation, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) signed a memorandum of academic cooperation with Soochow University School of Law and School of Big Data Management on Sep 8, which was jointly witnessed by Deputy Minister Tsai Ching-Piao of the Ocean Affairs Council and President Pan Wei-Ta of Soochow University. It is expected that the collaboration between the public sector and academe will enhance the momentum of marine research.
　　Deputy Minister Tsai Ching-Piao noted that since the establishment of the Ocean Affairs Council, it has actively promoted the research and planning of domestic and international marine policies, legalization efforts and marine science and technology development, with a view to building a strong maritime nation through the collaboration of industry, government and academe and the integration of resources to strengthen marine basic education and promote the research and development and application of marine science and technology. In order to oversee marine policy planning, marine resources survey, marine scientific research, marine industry and talent cultivation and development, the National Academy of Marine Research was established to utilize expert talents from various fields and to be an important think tank for marine research in Taiwan. Soochow University is the first private university in Taiwan, and the School of Law is the leading law school in Taiwan that actively trains modern legal professionals. In response to the era of big data, the university has established the School of Big Data Management, one of the few academic institutions in Taiwan that specializes in the analysis, processing and research in big data. It is hoped that through the close cooperation of both parties, the manpower and resources of both institutions and academia will be able to enhance legal research, big data computing technology, analysis and prediction capabilities of the nation.
　　NAMR President Chiu Yung-Fang pointed out that since NAMR’s establishment, it has completed preliminary research on the legalization of sea area management and policies, international policies related to spatial planning of sea areas, as well as systems and practical analysis. NAMR has also gradually constructed marine database frameworks and standardization of content and data to promote fundamental research of marine law and policies. It has a complete database on sea areas and promote the integration and value-added use of marine information and communication. In the future, NAMR will combine specialized research conducted by various research centers with the two colleges of Soochow University to jointly develop research on international situation analysis of marine developments and drive big data integration application technologies.
　　Marine affairs are diverse and involve a wide range of aspects. This memorandum of cooperation between NAMR and Soochow University is focused on emerging research areas such as legal policies related to marine affairs, big data applications, AI artificial intelligence image recognition, marine data simulation, etc. Through this cooperation, it is hoped to propel research momentum, enhance and add value to the understanding and motivation of interested parties in various fields of marine affairs and further evoke the proud spirit of a happy maritime nation among the public.

　　The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR), the College of Earth Sciences of the National Central University and Nicolaus Copernicus University of Poland have agreed on an international cooperative research in Arctic marine science. The ocean surface micro-buoy real-time observation data collected will be applied to the study of arctic ocean currents, sea surface temperatures and wave effects on Arctic ice melt, as well as other important ocean issues.
　　The multinational collaborative research site is located in the Fram Strait (one of the waterways between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean) on the north side of the Greenland Sea, where eight ocean surface micro-buoys will drift northward into the Arctic Ocean with the West Spitsbergen Current (a branch of the North Atlantic Current) in a crisscross pattern. The micro-buoys will commence data transmissions in real time through satellite communication starting on Aug 28, and the NAMR can monitor first-hand Arctic ocean information on the premises, such as sea surface temperature, current and wave observation information along the drifting path. Preliminary observations show that the surface temperature of the sea is about 7-7.5 degrees Celsius, which is on a warming trend compared with the average temperature of 6.75-6.9 degrees Celsius in August last year (2020). The current speed remains moderate about 0.2-0.6 meters per second and continues to drift northward. The surface waves are about 1.5-3 meters, which is a relatively volatile swell and will be monitored continuously to understand the long-term changes of walrus and ice melt characteristics.
　　NAMR President Chiu Yung-Fang pointed out that the Arctic sea ice can reflect sunlight and heat, playing an important role in regulating the Earth's temperature. With the gradual disappearance of sea ice, the heat energy will be absorbed by the ocean, resulting in temperature rise. Under the influence of global climate change, scientists have observed from  long-term satellite observation data that ice melts in Greenland have begun to rise steadily since 2000. This August (2021), Greenland, which is located in the Arctic Circle, was affected by abnormal weather, with the largest amount of rainfall recorded since 1950 and these warnings indicate that the rate of Arctic ice melt is accelerating. In the future, if large-scale ice melt occurs, sea levels may gradually rise, which will increase the risk of overflowing seawater in low-lying areas along the Taiwan coast. In addition, ice melt may also open up the Arctic Ocean shipping lanes, becoming another important route for global maritime shipping and transportation.
　　NAMR will spearhead the monitoring of the Arctic marine environment through this international cooperation in marine science and collect basic hydrographic data to lead domestic polar marine science research. The results of the research will be used as a reference for the government to develop a polar ocean policy and a blue economy in the polar region. In addition to the polar international cooperation with Poland, NAMR will actively seek other possible collaboration partners in the future, so that Taiwan's polar marine research can be gradually connected to the world.

  The National Academy of Marine Research (hereinafter referred to as the academy) invites people who love the indigenous culture and marine knowledge to team up and enter the contest; enrollment is available for 3 to 5 people per team and there is no age restriction for the participants; the overall contest reward is as high as 180 thousand dollars! The content of the contest is to “propose innovations, cross-industry planning or concepts related to the marine cultural knowledge of the Tao Tribe/Amis Tribe” and further present the expected outcomes via methods including products and plans…etc. There will be no restrictions to the format and creative people from all fields are welcome to share their bold creativity to earn the rewards!
I. Enrollment
​　　※The enrollment starts from now until 5 pm on September 15, 2021 (Wednesday).  Teams wishing to enter the contest only need to fill out the online registration form and enclose the contest content description to complete; the preliminary selection results will be announced on September 30, 2021 (Thursday).
　　​※ To optimize the contest outcomes of the various teams, all members of the teams admitted to the final selection will need to participate in the 5-day and 4-night “Marine Culture Experience Camp and Creators Workshop” or else they will be disqualified from the final selection.  After the training has been completed, the contest outcome must be delivered according to the deadline stipulated by the academy and 1 person should be assigned as the representative to proceed with the final outcome presentation.
II. Rewards
　　The academy will present the rewards and the award certificates to the top 3 teams, while a contest participation certificate will be issued to the teams that have passed the preliminary selection, but did not win the awards. A reward of NT$50,000 will be awarded to the team which came first, a reward of NT$30,000 will be awarded to the team that came second and a reward of NT$10,000 will be awarded to the team that came third.
 

  In Penghu’s maritime slang, “Pebble crabs in Double Third Festival are so plump that they would break the container” and “Pebbles crabs are plumpest when the octopuses are out,” implying that the period between March to June in the Chinese calendar is when the pebble crabs (Smooth Spooner Crab) are the plumpest and delicious, this period is also the high season for Penghu octopuses. However, it was discovered in recent years that the number of Penghu octopuses is gradually decreasing and although the Penghu County Government has already announced a closed fishing season to prevent the extinction of Penghu octopuses, the number of octopuses still showed no sign of increasing.  One of the reasons analyzed could be that Smooth Spooner Crabs, the staple food for octopuses have been overfished, resulting in the broken food chain.  Therefore, to save Penghu octopuses, the National Academy of Marine Research joined forces with the National Penghu University of Science and Technology, as well as the Penghu Marine Biology Research Center to conduct a series of research on Smooth Spooner Crabs, including data collection and analysis on their distribution in the wild, population, reproduction and ecology…etc. in Penghu; the artificial culturing approach is further utilized for preliminary observation on their feeding habits and also attempted to conduct indoor mating and propagation.  Moreover, attempts will be taken to culture juvenile Smooth Spooner Crabs, to establish the culturing technology step by step, hoping to proceed with mass production in the future and to release them to the Penghu sea area in order to increase the population quantity in the wild.
  The President of NAMR, Chiu Yung-Fang indicated that this program is focused on restoring the food for Penghu octopuses – “Smooth Spooner Crabs”, hoping that via the increase of quantity for the Smooth Spooner Crabs in the wild to guarantee the source of bait for Penghu octopuses. However, the conditions of Penghu’s local Smooth Spooner Crab population should be investigated beforehand, along with the setup of the culturing technology.
  Professor Chih-Yun Shih from the Department of Aquaculture, National Penghu University of Science and Technology mentioned it was discovered from the investigation results that the spawning rate for Smooth Spooner Crabs is huge and if the habitat for Smooth Spooner Crabs can be managed appropriately, it should be able to gradually restore the quantity of the wild population.  Director Heng-Yi Hsieh of Penghu Marine Biology Research Center pointed out that the current indoor mating and propagation techniques are capable of allowing the crabs to proceed with mating and spawning under an artificial environment.  As for the culturing technique, we are currently successfully in culturing to the megalopa stage, where they would transform into juvenile crabs after shelling; however, there are still some bottlenecks that need to be surmounted. In the future, if habitat management and the release to the wild can be conducted in parallel, it will be beneficial to the increase of the Penghu octopus population.
  Smooth Spooner Crab (scientific name: Etisus laevimanus) is commonly known as Pebble Crab, it is categorized as Xanthidae and can be commonly seen to live amongst the coral reefs or gaps between rocks in the tidal zone; it is a frequently seen species in the Penghu tidal zone. Moreover, in order to overcome the drastic environment of the tidal zone (such as changes in dryness, temperature, and salt concentration…etc.), its shell is thicker and heavier, resulting in their slow movement, hence, they are extremely easy to capture.  Due to man-made factors including overfishing or destroyed habitat in recent years, there is a decreasing trend in the population.

  The National Academy of Marine Research (hereinafter referred to as NAMR) has organized a 5-day “Marine Park Ranger Orientation Training” from January 4th to 8th, 2021, with a total of 40 park ranger candidates who have passed the public recruitment attending this session. They will be dispatched to the coast and outlying islands to rescue stranded protected marine wild animals, make contact and carry out relevant inspections following the Wildlife Conservation Act, marine environment and pollution (including waste disposals) case inspection, handle and contact for the cleanup, records of marine protection zone (including potential ones), investigation, evaluation, monitoring and patrol, sea record of marine waste disposals, observe fishery bycatch and data analysis…etc.  The youngest of the people recruited is 23 years of age, while the oldest is 46 years of age; 14 people are between the ages of 20-29 (35%), 19 people are between the ages of 30-39 (47.5%) and 7 people are between the age of 40-46 (17.5%); 15 people have a master’s degree (37.5%), 18 people have a bachelor’ degree  (45%) and 7 people graduated from junior college (17.5%), demonstrating the characteristics of a younger labor force with higher education, thereby introducing fresh people to the marine conservation in Taiwan.
  The orientation training course includes four main core themes: obligations and rights, public service law and application, specialized training and quality service, as well as national major policies and topics. Through the aforementioned series of abundant and diversified courses, each park ranger is provided with professional knowledge and competency to become adapted A.S.A.P. after taking on the post, to blend into the work environment and fully demonstrate their talent and wisdom, thereby enhancing the service efficacy and self-accomplishment.  The diversification of course content is further paired with excellent forum teachers, especially inviting Kwang-Tsao Shao, the fish expert and Chia-Ling Feng, Ms. Sea Turtle from Academia Sinica; National Cheng Kung University Cetacean Rescue Team; Forestry Bureau, Council of Agriculture and National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, as well as famous professors from the National Taiwan University and other colleges. Experts and scholars with teaching strength and practical problem-solving ability from the governmental, academic and research fields are gathered together, attaining the ideal training effect, enhancing professional knowledge and skills, thereby creating competitiveness for the marine conservation talents.
  The President of NAMR, Chiu Yung-Fang indicated that the content for this orientation training course is compact and tight, other than hoping that the park rangers can strive to absorb the knowledge and skills required for future tasks during the future learning process, they should also keep bettering themselves and continue to improve, to deeply comprehend the meaning and value of marine conservation, so that they can be prepared to promote the agency’s marine conservation tasks when taking on the work post in the future.

　It has been a year since the foundation of the National Academy of Marine Research on April 24, 2019. In the past year, the academy has conducted long-term, applied and fundamental investigation research, as well as applied research that reinforces marine academe and industry, thereby writing down an innovative page for marine research.   In order for the general public to come closer to the marine science domain, we have specially joined hands with Kaohsiung Main Public Library to organize a series of performance exhibition events from December 25th to 27th, where people are welcome to visit.
　After the opening ceremony for the performance exhibition in the morning on December 25th, the research performance presentation will be conducted in the afternoon, where a total of 48 research project outcomes will be presented in three venues in the main public library, with content including topics on marine ecology health check, nearshore sea area terrain changes and hydrologic properties research, ocean energy and wind energy, indigenous culture and modern state governance, and marine talent incubation…etc. Through the presentations of the research outcomes, the general public is allowed to understand the current physical research from the National Academy of Marine Research, as well as the current domestic marine research developmental trend. It is completely free and people who would love to explore and learn about marine research must not miss out on this.
　The actual exhibition is expected to be displayed on the 3rd-floor space in the main public library during the 3 days from 25th-27th; the exhibition content is categorized according to the five research centers of NAMR, including talent training, marine culture policy, marine industry engineering, marine ecology conservation and marine science info, displaying the highlights of this year’s performances. The contents of the highlights include the completion of the publication of 9 professional books (including the first issue of the National Academy of Marine Research, Marine Research professional periodical, Ocean Affairs:14 practical articles in maritime, Ocean Frontline People, Annual Report of Taiwan Current (Waves, Ocean Current, Wind Force) Observation Data in 2018, marine patrol personnel scenario boarding and negotiation training demonstration, Ocean Affairs:14 practical articles in maritime, Dream Ocean – Album on Award-Winning Works from the National Children Ocean Drawing Contest), cultural relics display from the Tao Tribe, sounds under the water (listen attentively to the sounds of the marine ecology system), display of the construction of the national marine database, drifting marine debris and maritime search and rescue improved test…etc., presenting a diversified collection of content.  To attract more people in paying a visit, the various centers further transformed difficult marine science theories into simple and easy-understanding popular science educational knowledge, taking the public into the marine science field via vivid videos; a check-in station is further set up at the exhibition area on the 3rd floor, people are welcome to explore marine science together (small gifts are available).
　The President of NAMR, Chiu Yung-Fang indicated that the theme for our performance exhibition last year was “Marine Research Set Sail with Resplendence – Let go,” where “Let go” means depart in navigation terms.  After setting sail, it corresponds with the theme of this year, “Smart Ocean, Leaping Research – Full Ahead,” where “Full Ahead” means acceleration, we must work at full speed in order to conform to the expectations from the nation and the people.  Over the years since its foundation, we have actively cultivated national marine talents, promoted industry-government-academia collaboration, pioneered in ocean technological research innovations, combined with government’s “OCEAN TAIWAN” policy and continued to enrich the people with marine knowledge and energy, as well as many, many more performances, everyone is welcome to pay a visit, to support and provide suggestions to the academy.

　To promote cooperation of marine engineering technology, the National Academy of Marine Research (hereinafter referred to as NAMR) and the Center of Excellence for Ocean Engineering of National Taiwan Ocean University (hereinafter referred to as COEFOE) agree to sign this memorandum of understanding (MOU) today (19th).  The purpose of signing this MOU is to jointly develop technologies including ship model towing tank test, ocean energy, marine disaster prevention, and to facilitate academic and research cooperation of researchers at two sides.
　Hsu Tai-Wen from National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) in the opening said through this MOU signing, the cavitation tank of NTOU will be used to train more professionals and give assistance to NAMR’s shipbuilding research capabilities.  Additionally, COEFOE has been known for its significant achievements of energy development and disaster prevention and alertness and in the future, through the cooperation mechanism, Taiwan’s marine technology development will be boosted.
　In the meeting, the President of NAMR, Chiu Yung-Fang, said this MOU focuses on key technology R&D and application of three important fields: “ocean energy,” “marine disaster,” and “cavitation tanks.” Through cooperation with COEFOE of NTOU, Taiwan’s domestic marine industrial energy will be boosted and policies such as Indigenous National defense, OCEAN TAIWAN, and Green Energy Development can be realized.
　Director of COEFOE, Tsay Lu-Wen, said through this MOU signing, both sides will jointly devote to ship design, development of ocean energy and test locations, and participation in other marine engineering technology research to enhance Taiwan’s marine engineering research capabilities.

　　The National Academy of Marine Research and the National Taiwan Ocean University Center of Excellence for the Oceans signed a cooperation memorandum on the 17th. In the future, they will jointly engage in marine science research and enhance the nation’s marine research momentum. President Chiu Yung-Fang of the National Academy of Marine Research expressed that the cooperation with the National Academy of Marine Research will involve long-term and overall ecology monitoring as well as the establishment of a complete marine ecology database. In addition, through the alliance, the strengths of both sides can be integrated to jointly strengthen domestic marine research momentum, thereby establishing the status as a maritime nation. President Hsu Tai-Wen of the National Taiwan Ocean University expressed that the National Taiwan Ocean University is a topnotch university focused on marine research. It has an excellent research environment and a field foundation.  The alliance formed between the National Taiwan Ocean University and the National Academy of Marine Research will promote the training of marine professionals and technical exchanges. In the future, both sides will engage in research cooperation in marine science and marine ecology in order to cultivate outstanding marine research teams in Taiwan. In addition, according to Deputy Minister Tsai Ching-Piao of the Ocean Affairs Council, “The National Taiwan Ocean University is a tertiary institution in the international marine field, while the National Academy of Marine Research is an institution that shoulders the great responsibility of acting as the national marine think tank. The cooperation between the two sides is expected to enhance domestic marine research momentum and enable Taiwan to connect with the world to become a true maritime nation.”
　　The contents of the memorandum signed include: research cooperation regarding the impact of environmental change on marine ecology, research cooperation on marine ecosystems, deep sea biodiversity, seismic measurements, water color telemetry, marine energy R&D and key technology establishment, cooperation in the scientific exploration of marine culture and underwater cultural assets, marine research boat support and cooperation and other items. Furthermore, in order to promote substantive research cooperation among researchers from both sides, the “National Academy of Marine Research and the National Taiwan Ocean University Marine Research Station” has been jointly set up at the Marine Life Pavilion of the National Taiwan Ocean University Center of Excellence for the Oceans. The unveiling ceremony was also held to implement mutual exchanges among marine research talents and enhance domestic marine research momentum.

　　The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) today (19th) in order to enhance inter-agency exchange and establish a mechanism for coordinating and integrating marine research resource utilization and development. The purpose of the signing is for both sides to work together on the development of marine technology research, set up marine databases, and promote maritime weather information services, thereby enhancing the security of sea areas, enhancing the application of maritime data, and strengthening cooperation in the marine field.
　　According to NAMR Director-General Chiu Yung-Fang, the “OCEAN TAIWAN” policy launched by the Executive Yuan this year advocates the trend of affinity to the sea for all, cultivates the mindset as a maritime nation, and encourages people to get close to the sea. At the same time, the government needs to perform proper information disclosure, particularly the provision of correct and instantaneous marine weather information, to enable the public to perform proper risk management. In order for Taiwan to gather existing scientific momentum, develop marine science and scientific research, expand scientific application fields, and improve public welfare to bring out synergistic effects, the NAMR and the CWB have signed a memorandum of cooperation, which symbolizes the starting point and milestone of scientific research cooperation between both sides. Hopefully, they will work together to promote marine environment monitoring and investigation, develop marine data processing and marine weather forecasting technology, utilize environmental databases, and engage in other operational applications and research.
　　According to CWB director-general Cheng Ming-dean, the CWB has achieved fruitful results, whether in marine technology research and the promotion and use of marine weather information. The observational data of Taiwan’s surrounding seas has been obtained. It will help both sides strengthen the cooperative relationship in terms of sea safety and data application scope expansion. It is also expected that through this mode of cooperation, national big data marine databases can be further constructed, thereby facilitating the promotion of Taiwan’s forward looking marine technology research work in Taiwan.
　　According to NAMR Director-General Chiu Yung-Fang, through the signing of the memorandum of cooperation, besides will develop marine scientific development momentum and enhance  Taiwan’s marine technology momentum through cross-domain cooperation, resource sharing, and cooperation platform construction, thereby achieving the new goal of sustainable development in marine scientific research.

The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) informed alliances with Taiwan’s academia for the first time in order to strengthen the national marine scientific research strength. A collaboration memorandum with the College of Earth Sciences National Central University (CES ofNCU) was signed today (30th). The objective of this signing is for both sides to collaborate on marine science and technology-related research and jointly participate in international collaboration among polar stations.
NAMR President Chiu Yung-Fang  pointed out that due to the impacts of global climate change and global warming, the “Northwest Passage” that has been frozen for years is now opened. With the accelerating Arctic ice melting, the Northwest Passage may rewrite the importance of the global transportation routes. In addition, as the polar region is near the United States and Russia, not only is it an important strategic position, but it also has abundant resources such as petroleum, natural gas, etc. The neighboring countries are making every endeavor to protect their rights and interests in the Arctic region. It is expected that through the collaboration memorandum signing, the NAMR and the CES of NCU can jointly commit to the promotion of marine environment data investigation, marine environment database applications and co-participate in polar marine environment monitoring and investigation so that Taiwan can join the stage in the international arena on polar issues.
CES, NCU Dean Hsu Shu-Kun said that the CES of NCU is the only earth system science-based college in Taiwan. It is the base and stronghold of earth science integrative research and teaching in Taiwan. Through collaboration with the NAMR, both sides apply various scientific observations and research methods to carry out polar marine environment monitoring and investigation. In the future, coast-based marine radars and satellite remote sensing marine technology, and other collaborations will be planned to promote research in the global ocean and near-shore fields.
NAMR President Chiu Yung-Fang said that the NAMR has engaged in cross-domain collaboration with the CES, NCU in order to foster marine science development functions and enhance Taiwan’s marine technology momentum. Through research resource sharing, a collaboration platform for both sides will be jointly promoted to create a sustainable future.

 

　　The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) signed a memorandum of cooperation with Fisheries Research Institute, COA (FRI) today (7th). The signing of this memorandum of cooperation is intended for both sides to cooperate in academic research, share teaching and resources such as books, research ships, equipment etc., and academic research cooperation results, as well as promoting joint research plans and convening academic seminars.
　　The NAMR was established in April 2019. It is situated in Kaohsiung, the maritime capital in the southern part of Taiwan. Located on the eastern side of Kaohsiung Port, it neighbors Asia’s New Bay Area. There are five research centers. The business undertakings include comprehensive planning and manpower training, marine policy and cultural research, marine science and information research, marine ecology and conservation research, marine industry and engineering research, etc. According to Director-General Chiu Yung-Fang: “The main task of the NAMR as the national marine think tank is to assist the Ocean Affairs Council in conducting ocean policy planning, marine resource investigation, marine science research, marine industry, and manpower training development undertakings.”
　　The FRI is situated in Keelung, a city of rain in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It is known for its natural harbor of deep valleys. Due to its rainy climate, it is also known as the port of rain. Keelung and Kaohsiung City in Southern Taiwan are listed as two major port cities in Taiwan. The FRI was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan in 1999. It has four divisions: Planning and Information Division, Marine Fisheries Division, Aquaculture Division, and Seafood Technology Division. There are also six centers: Freshwater Aquaculture Research Center, Mariculture Research Center, Coastal and Offshore Resources Research Center, Tungkang Biotechnology Research Center,  Eastern Marine Biology Research Center, and Penghu Marine Biology Research Center. It also boasts three sampling boats, including: Fishery
Researcher I, Fishery Researcher II, and Hai An. The FRI shoulders the goals and tasks of ensuring the sustainable utilization of fishery resources, the establishment of excellent fish and shellfish culture technology, and the diverse and value-added applications of innovative aquatic products and fishery information. It is the only fishery experimental research and technology promotion agency under the jurisdiction of the government.
　　In the future, the NAMR and FRI will work together in marine research-related fields, engage in marine environmental monitoring, marine resource and ecological restoration research, enrich marine biological resources, and ensure the sustainable utilization of marine resources. Additionally, genetic resource collection and preservation technology research will be conducted targeting important marine biodiversity, thereby increasing resources along the coastal waters. In addition, through remote sensing and AI technology applications, smart sensing systems have been jointly developed to monitor the marine environment and promote the diverse and value-added applications of innovative maritime information. The NAMR and FRI are committed to promoting marine science, resource investigation, ecological conservation, industrial and education, and manpower training, developing marine science research, sustainable marine ecological resources, and promoting the ocean into the important niche of national development. In addition, a macroscopic and forward-looking marine scientific research environment is jointly created to build a future of continuity.

To develop the exploration, investigation, and monitoring technology of underwater cultural heritage to comprehend the ancestors’ marine culture, President Chiu Yung-Fang of the National Academy of Marine Research and Director-General Shih Kuo-lung of the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture signed an MOU today (17th) regarding the collaboration of the study of underwater cultural assets. Deputy Minister Tsai, Ching-piao of the Ocean Affairs Council and Deputy Minister Hsiao Tsung-huang of the Ministry of Culture attended to witness the moment. It is expected that with the collaboration of the two departments, it can promote the capacity of the investigation and study of the underwater cultural assets.
Taiwan is located in a unique geographical location with a diverse history and culture. In the surrounding sea areas, there are many ancient sunken ships and remains of ancestors’ habitats. Nevertheless, due to the depth, water pressure, flow velocity, and visibility of the sea as well as discarded artifacts, it renders underwater investigation an incredibly difficult task. Due to the urgency of the task, it is very important for Taiwan to develop marine environment investigation and monitoring operations.
Deputy Minister Tsai, Ching-piao of the Ocean Affairs Council expressed that since the establishment of the Ocean Affairs Council, it has been active in promoting basic marine culture education. It is expected that with the collaboration of the private and public sectors and joining with private resources, it is possible to consolidate basic marine culture education. By cultivating the marine consciousness of the people, it will help Taiwan to become an excellent maritime nation.   The parent act of marine affairs – The Ocean Basic Act was announced to promulgate on November 20, 2019. The act regards the deepening of the diverse marine culture and preservation of marine cultural assets as its basic principles.  On June 4, 2020, the Legislative Yuan passed the “National Ocean Policy White Paper”, which includes “the cultivation and training of ocean education personnel” as one of its major policies.   The National Academy of Marine Research was established on April 24, 2019, to conduct the planning of marine policy, investigation of marine resources, marine science study, development of marine industry, and cultivation of professional talents. Up to now, it has employed professional talents from different fields to conduct marine studies, becoming an important marine think tank.  The Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture achieved brilliantly in the aspects of the investigation and preservation of underwater cultural assets, and the promotion of marine culture. It is believed that with the collaboration of the two agencies, it will augment the human resources and resources. It will promote the standard of the investigation, monitoring technology, and research capacity of underwater cultural assets.
President Chiu Yung-Fang of the National Academy of Marine Research expressed that since the establishment of the National Academy of Marine Research, it has promoted the study of marine culture, history, and education, and conducted research on marine culture, for example, the study of the traditional marine knowledge and culture of the Amis tribe and the Tao tribe, and the traditional marine life and culture camps. In the future, it will continue to construct basic information regarding the cultural implications of Minnan, Hakka, and other ethnic groups.  Underwater cultural assets is an important cornerstone for the re-presentation of ancestors’ marine culture. Its investigation, study, preservation, maintenance, and educational promotion are involved with interdisciplinary cooperation.  The National Academy of Marine Research is consists of five centers. In the future, it will collaborate with the five centers to assist the Bureau of Cultural Heritage to conduct researches in marine and underwater cultural assets, law, and history with their areas of specialty. It will also conduct ecological studies with investigation and monitoring technology. Sharing the data of underwater cultural assets investigation, it is believed that it will open a new chapter on the preservation of underwater cultural assets of Taiwan.
Deputy Minister Hsiao Tsung-huang of the Ministry of Culture expressed that Taiwan, surrounded by the sea on all sides, is an important route for water transportation. There are positive meanings for Taiwan to engage in the preservation, monitoring, and management of underwater cultural assets, being a maritime country. It is believed that with the collaboration of the two agencies, a national team of underwater cultural assets will gradually be formed.
Finally, Director-General Shih Kuo-lung of the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture said there are three significant meanings regarding the signing of the MOU with the National Academy of Marine Research. Firstly, in the past, the Bureau of Cultural Heritage conducted researches on the sunken ships in shallow waters in the investigation of underwater cultural assets. In the future, with the marine science technology and detecting instruments of the National Academy of Marine Research, it is possible to conduct investigations in deep water zones. It can be regarded as the “underwater cultural assets 2.0.” Second, the Bureau of Cultural Heritage is collecting data (including investigation data of offshore power plants) to construct a data bank.The data should be analyzed with the help of professional talents from the National Academy of Marine Research for maximum results. Third, the underwater cultural assets listed in the record are investigated and inspected by related personnel irregularly.  It is necessary to establish a monitoring system equipped with detecting instruments for efficient inspection.
Ocean affairs are diverse and expansive. On this occasion, the signing of MOU between the National Academy of Marine Research and Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture is focusing on the promotion of marine monitoring technology, the construction of underwater cultural assets preservation system, and the integration of the capacities of marine studies in Taiwan. It is expected that with the collaboration of the two agencies, it will help consolidate the implications of marine culture, deepen marine science studies, promote the concern and care of marine society and humanities of people from different sectors to construct the conscious of knowing the sea, intimate to the sea, and love the sea, demonstrating Taiwan’s national spirit.

On March 29, 1920, the Japanese whaling company Toyo Hogei K.K. whaled a 24-m-long female blue whale off southern Taiwan.
This was the first documented encounter with a blue whale in Taiwanese waters.
One hundred years have passed since then.
What have we done to the environment endangering these sea creatures?

WARNING ! Some may find the following video content disturbing !

Shouldering Taiwan’s “National Marine Think Tank,” National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR), today (30 Dec. 2019), held a year-end symposium and press conference. Many guests from industries, government agencies, universities, and research institutes attended to the conference, including Minister of the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC), Lee Chung-wei (李仲威) and President of National Sun Yat-sen University, Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀). President of NAMR, Chiu Yung-fang (邱永芳) explicated NAMR’s achievements in detail since the provisional office was established. He also focused on the future perspectives, emphasizing the six main projects that NAMR will forge ahead on in the coming year. NAMR hopes to make Taiwan a world-class marine research nation.

Minister OAC Lee Chung-wei expressed his sincere appreciation to Prof. Chiu Wen-yan (邱文彥) and Prof. Chen Yang-yih (陳陽益), the former OAC vice minister, for their dedication to the establishment of OAC and NAMR. Lee also thanked the support and assistance from industries, universities, research institutes and NGO associations.

Lee encouraged NAMR to do thorough foundational investigations, such as hydrographic and ecological survey, and coast monitoring. He hoped that NAMR would make efforts on environmental sustainability, connect Taiwan with international community, and cultivate the talents for our nation. “Thanks to the hard work, it is great to have you here. Hopefully, in the coming year, NAMR will continue to offer much better contributions to the world,” Lee said.

NAMR President Chiu mentioned that NAMR was officially established this April after one-year provision. NAMR had held many international academic conferences and signed the memorandums of understanding with Lloyd’s Register UK, Asia Marine Mammal Stranding Network (AMMSN), and the Institute of Transportation (IOT). NAMR had associated big data from different sources to build a national marine database as well as a simulation system for marine plastics distribution. NAMR helped drafting the Ocean Basic Act and Marine Spatial Planning Act. It also helped reaching consensus for policies on marine culture.

As for the promotion of marine environmental education, nautical history and aboriginal culture, NAMR not only held lectures, trainings, and camps, but also made videos in public, focusing on the topics of cetaceans and white dolphins, marine culture and the sea migration from Taiwan to Okinawa. Besides, NAMR is planning to build a museum that will feature on marine resources. All these efforts are made in hope of providing different angles for people to learn from the beauty of Taiwan’s history and culture to environmental sustainability.

Currently, NAMR’s new facility was completed and faculty recruiting was almost done. Chiu emphasized that NAMR will forge ahead on 6 main projects, including 1. Ocean energy, 2. Ecological survey in offshore wind farm, 3. Promotions on policies and culture, 4. Hydrographic data collection, 5. Integrating AI to surveillance geomorphological change and land erosion, and 6. Developing sustainable marine industry. NAMR hopes to connect new marine technologies and create new blue economies.

In the press conference, issues of ecological conservation were also wholly discussed. Acting Director of Marine Ecology and Conservation Research Center, Chang Chih-wei (張至維) stated that NAMR had conducted preliminary studies on the conservation of cetaceans. In the coming years, NAMR will initiate further researches on the ecological environment, the underwater soundscape survey, and the potential pollution monitoring near offshore wind farms. NAMR will work with OAC Ocean Conservation Administration to benefit both ecological conservation and development of green energy.

Chairman of Taiwan Cetacean Society, Yang Wei-cheng (楊瑋誠) said that researchers are planning to collect relative baseline information before offshore wind farms are built. Researches on the number of the vessels, the sailing speed, and the sound of the offshore wind turbine will be incorporated with one another in the future. It is hoped that these scientific data can be served later as references for lawmaking.

Big data database is the foundation of current researches. In order to establish a foundation for national marine research, National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) is dedicated to the integration of national marine big data. NAMR and the Institute of Transportation (IOT) today signed MOU on the research field of marine, bay, and harbor, making a big step forward on the integration of marine data.

Academy Acting President Chiu Yung-Fang (邱永芳) said that NAMR was established on April 24. It is expected to be the “National Marine Think Tank.” NAMR would connect related marine researches, combine measurement data, and build a national ocean database as the foundation of our nation’s new blue ocean strategy.

IOT is dedicated to the researches of bay and harbor. Its hydrographic data collection of bays and harbors is mature. By signing MOU, NAMR and IOT hope to strengthen mutual interaction and cooperation. NAMR would keep cooperating with more national and international marine research institutes to connect more marine researches and data, which, in the future, would become significant references for implementing national and international ocean policies.