The Eastern Taiwan Scenic Area Administration launches a series of "On the Sea, Under the Sea" events, featuring ocean-themed eco-tours

▲This year, the Eastern Taiwan Scenic Area Administration commissioned the Taiwan Cetacean Society to organize the "On the Sea, Under the Sea" series from July to December, featuring marine ecology-themed tours. (Photo / Provided by Eastern Taiwan Scenic Area Administration, same below)

Reported by Wang Zhaolin / Taitung

The Eastern Taiwan Scenic Area Administration under the Tourism Bureau has commissioned the Taiwan Cetacean Society to organize the "On the Sea, Under the Sea" series from July to December this year. The program includes specially designed marine ecology tours for youth and families, as well as a special exhibition titled "Between Mountain and Sea, Encountering Whales" at the Marine Environment Classroom of the Chenggong Yacht Marina. The goal is to invite visitors to personally experience the marine characteristics of Chenggong Township, get to know the people living above the sea, the creatures beneath it, and the intertwined ocean stories and culture between them.

The waters around Chenggong Township boast abundant whale and dolphin resources, with records of nearly 25 different species sighted. In terms of both species diversity and abundance, it can be considered a hotspot for cetaceans. Meanwhile, Chenggong Harbor, influenced by the Kuroshio Current, is known as the largest fishing port on the east coast, nurturing a unique maritime culture and rich fishery resources, and is also an important production area for swordfish and dolphinfish.

The town preserves a rich fishing culture, as well as the unique traditional fishing technique of harpoon swordfishing passed down from the Japanese colonial period. The Eastern Taiwan Scenic Area Administration stated that it hopes to integrate local marine resource characteristics, preserve fishing culture, and promote marine conservation knowledge, achieving harmonious coexistence and coordinated development among tourism, culture, and the environment.

On July 4–5 and August 3–4, two sessions of the "Into the Fishing Village, Living by the Sea" – a two-day, one-night fishing life experience – will be held. Organizers will lead participants to closely engage with the lives of these fishermen, visiting sites such as the Chenggong Marine Environment Classroom, fish market auctions, the Swordfish Shrine, fishing boat dry docks, and Chenggong Seaside Park. In addition to inviting the few remaining harpoon swordfishing boat captains in town to share their fishing stories face-to-face with the public and offering a DIY experience making fishing gear ornaments, participants can also join whale and dolphin conservationists on marine surveys at sea.

Additionally, from July 8 to 9, the "Ocean Professionals Study Tour" will be held, inviting parent-child families with children in the third grade of elementary school or above to learn essential ocean skills for life on an island nation. In addition to taking children and parents out to sea to participate in whale and dolphin surveys and visiting the fish market to understand the marine life of the east coast and the fish auction process, children will also be taught how to make eco-bags from discarded fishing nets, fostering awareness of ocean protection and providing a completely different experience compared to typical whale-watching tours.