ETSSTAWG letter to COA Minister

The Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group (ETSSTAWG) has sent a letter of concern to Council of Agriculture Minister, CHEN, Wu-hsiung after the group learned of a proposal to conduct live-captures of the Critically Endangered Taiwan pink dolphins for the purpose of scientific research. A copy of the letter follows below.

TO:
Minister CHEN, Wu-hsiung
Council of Agriculture,
Executive Yuan
37 Nanhai Rd.
Taipei
10014
Taiwan
Republic of China

November 2, 2011

Dear Minister Chen,

It is with considerable concern that we receive unconfirmed reports on a proposal to conduct live-captures of the Critically Endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) in the Eastern Taiwan Strait (ETS) for the purpose of scientific research.

As you know, this population numbers fewer than 100 individuals, and faces a number of conservation threats including pollution, fisheries bycatch, reduced freshwater flow into estuarine habitat, noise, and loss of habitat due to land reclamation. The Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group (ETSSTAWG) consists of 17 international marine mammal experts. This group was established in 2008 to provide expert advice and feedback on matters pertaining to this population of Sousa.

Despite the weather-related difficulties in conducting field studies of Sousa in the ETS, recent work has demonstrated that Sousa are present year-round in the nearshore waters of Taiwan (Wang et al. 2011, Marine Mammal Science 27: 652-658). This was based on direct observations and photographic identification of known individuals from a small vessel.

Additional research might provide more insight into the presence, distribution, demographics and habitat use of Sousa in the ETS. However, this new insight for a Critically Endangered species must fundamentally be based on the ultimate goal of conservation and recovery of the population. Scientific research must not become a new conservation threat to members of this population.

The ETSSTAWG has solicited external expert advice on the risks and benefits related to possible satellite-tagging of ETS Sousa. We summarize the feedback that we received in this letter.

Live-captures and tagging of cetaceans elsewhere reveals some important gain in scientific understanding of marine mammal ecology, but also the following:

• captures cause stress in both the targeted individual and other members of the population during netting and capture operations. This can affect the health and well-being of the population.

• captures can kill individuals through drowning in nets, boat strikes, and/or stress.

• capture operations over a sustained period of time can displace members of the population from preferred feeding or resting habitat.

• the attachment of satellite tags to Sousa will cause injury, and can lead to subsequent infection, illness and even death after release.

• the process of capture, handling, tagging and release of the individual may very well change the subsequent behaviour, distribution, and habitat use of the individual. This means that even the best data collected from successfully attached tags may lead to erroneous results and conclusions.

• Even if one or more individuals move beyond their distribution as presently understood, this does not reduce the importance of protecting what has clearly been established to be ‘Priority Habitat’.

In short, tagging Sousa entails a high degree of risk to individuals, something that could lead to impacts at the population level. The ETSSTAWG strongly opposes any form of live-capture or biopsy sampling of individuals of this Critically Endangered population for scientific or other purposes.

However, the ETSSTAWG does recognize the merit in conducting non-invasive research that provides more insight into the habitat needs of this small cetacean. In this context, we urge members of the scientific and management establishment in Taiwan to consider the following non-harmful research options to supplement what has already been published in the scientific literature:

• land-based surveys using photo-identification methods.

• Ship-based surveys using trained professionals on small vessels and by using best practices to minimize noise and stress to ETS Sousa.

• Acoustic monitoring using Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) or Marine Autonomous Recording Units (MARUs) and/or other devices that record Sousa vocalizations throughout the year.

• A combination of acoustic and sighting efforts to provide complementary information.

• Increased efforts to monitor bycatch of small cetaceans and to recover any dead carcasses of ETS Sousa.

We note that in other regions where other populations of Sousa are being studied (e.g. Hong Kong), a combination of non-invasive approaches have been very successful in generating high quality scientific results in support of management.

In reviewing any research proposal that involves ETS Sousa, the ESTSSTAWG recommends that:

• The need for the study must be clearly explained, including a description of the potential way in which results will lead to different management scenarios.

• Why other methods fail to deliver answers to the questions posed.

• A comprehensive summary of the risks to members of the population associated with the study proposal must be included.

• The potential for physical or physiological trauma leading to compromised health or reduced reproductive potential be fully described.

• The minimum sample size required to generate information of value be discussed and explained in detail including statistical analyses.

• If there exist any risks to individual members of the population, the consideration of alternative study designs or approaches to research must be included and described.

In summary, the ETSSTAWG does not support any proposal to live-capture members of the ETS Sousa population or any study which relies on invasive methods such as biopsies. The risk of disturbance, injury and/or death outweighs any possible benefit associated with the resulting scientific information. On the contrary, the ETSSTAWG strongly considers non-invasive alternatives using a combination of acoustic technologies and direct observation to be likely to generate more defensible and meaningful scientific information without further harming this population.

Finally, while additional evidence of year-round habitat use along the nearshore waters of western Taiwan would incrementally improve our understanding of ETS Sousa ecology, it should not detract from the importance of protecting this area from impacts. Simply put, the shallow nearshore waters of the eastern Taiwan Strait represent Priority Habitat for ETS Sousa, and efforts must be made to reduce the threats of bycatch, pollution, freshwater discharge, noise and land reclamation in this area (Ross,P.S. et al, 2010. Averting the baiji syndrome: Characterising habitat for critically endangered dolphins in eastern Taiwan Strait. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 20: 685-694).

As always, the ETSSTAWG remains openly available for those seeking advice on matters related to ETS Sousa.

Sincerely,

Peter S. Ross, PhD
Chairman
Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group

Cc/
- Minister LEE, Lou-chuang, National Science Council chr@nsc.gov.tw
- Premier WU Den-yih, Chair, National Council for Sustainable Development c/o NCSD Secretariat Environmental Protection Administration umail@sun.epa.gov.tw
- Office of Legislator TIEN, Chiu-Chin ly11000a@ly.gov.tw
- Wild at Heart Legal Defense Organisation
- Matsu’s Fish Conservation Union
- Randall Reeves, Chairman, Cetacean Specialist Group, IUCN
- Members of the Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group

See: COA responds to ETSSTAWG letter

Little Taiwan has 17th biggest carbon footprint on the planet

And in January the EPA was still trying to push the Kuokuang Petrochemical Project through that would have increased Taiwan's carbon emissions by 16%.

Taipei Times
Taiwan outproduces East Asia in carbon emissions
FILLING SOME BIG SHOES: The EPA says Taiwanese have a daily per capita carbon footprint of 19.6kg, almost four times the level recommended by the UN
Staff Writer, with CNA
Fri, Oct 14, 2011 - Page 2


Taiwan ranked 17th in the world and ninth in Asia in terms of its carbon footprint, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said, noting that the Asian ranking also includes Brunei and Middle Eastern countries

Each person in Taiwan, on average, produces 10.89 tonnes of carbon emissions a year, according to the world carbon emissions report published by the International Energy Agency this month. The figure indicated a decline compared with 2008, when it was 11.53 tonnes per person, the agency said.

“Taiwanese produce more carbon emissions than people in Japan, South Korea and mainland China,” the EPA said, commenting on a survey that was released on Tuesday.

Taiwanese have a daily per capita carbon footprint of 19.6kg, almost four times the UN recommendation, it said.

The survey, conducted by Uni-Survey Link Marketing Research and Consulting and commissioned by Mass Mutual Mercuries Life, found that the biggest source of carbon emissions was meat consumption. If one person consumes 432.5g of meat a day, 5.7kg of carbon emissions are produced, accounting for 29 percent of daily carbon emissions, it showed.

Meat consumption was followed by use of air conditioning, which produces 3.4kg of carbon emissions per day, and travel by car, which produces 1.7 kg of carbon emissions per day. People in managerial positions produce 25 percent more carbon emissions than average, mainly because they drive cars, the survey showed.

Although about 80 percent of Taiwanese believe they are environmental protectionists, they have done little to help conserve the environment, the survey found.

More than 90 percent of the respondents said they knew that taking mass transportation or riding bicycles would help reduce carbon emissions, but only 54 percent said they put that into practice.

As much as 83 percent of respondents were aware that reducing the use of air conditioning would help cut carbon emissions, but only 64 percent said they use air conditioning sparingly in the summer. Forty-eight percent said they knew washing clothes by hand was more environmentally friendly than using washing machines, but less than 19 percent said they took such action.

Commenting on the survey, National Taiwan University professor Wang Ya-nan (王亞男) offered some tips for reducing carbon emissions. She suggested cutting back on new clothes by one item, eating more fruits and vegetables and less meat, taking showers rather than baths, taking the stairs rather than elevators, using public transportation instead of driving cars, watch TV less and playing fewer video games.

She also suggested turning off lights and setting the thermostat on air conditioners no lower than 26°C. The survey was conducted between Sept. 26 and Monday last week among people aged 20 to 44. It collected 1,067 valid samples and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

According to statistics from the UN and the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center under the US Department of Energy, Taiwanese produce 2.58 billion tonnes, or 11,580kg per person, of carbon emissions per year. The figure is the highest in Asia, far surpassing China, Japan and South Korea.

And yet again! Eighth Formosa Plastics fire since June 2010

One of eight recent fires at Formosa Plastics. This one was in late July 2010: Photo courtesy of MFCU.



After seven fires in 15 months at the Formosa Plastics Group’s petrochemical complex in Mailiao, Yunlin County one would think that something really had to be done about their frequent fires. It would seem not. On Tuesday, September 6th FPG had fire number eight.

Formosa Plastics was the 2009 recipient of the infamous Black Planet Award; for those who have committed themselves to the destruction and downfall of our Blue Planet in an outstanding way.

The Formosa Plastics Group’s petrochemical complex in Mailiao is built on reclaimed land that was once prime pink dolphin habitat. Current and planned reclamation projects at the plant are further reducing the little remaining habitat of the critically endangered Taiwan pink dolphins. Shipping traffic at Mailiao Port and excessive pollution levels from the Formosa Plastics Plant are serious threats to the continued survival of the Taiwan pink dolphins.

See FPC Mailiao plant suffers another fire in the Taipei Times.

Driving the pink dolphins to extinction with green wind energy

And yet another threat to the survival of the critically endangered Taiwan pink dolphins. SHIH Yen-hsiang, Minister of Economic Affairs, wants 1000 wind turbines off Taiwan's coast by 2030. And where does he plan to start? Miaoli! Yes, Miaoli. Well within the confirmed range of Taiwan's critically endangered pink dolphins. It's going to be interesting to see exactly how green the likes of Swancor and others wind power industry are. Will they be principled enough to say the location of these projects within pink dolphin habitat is wrong? Or will they just go for the money and damn the consequences?

See an English translation of an article that appeared in United Daily News:

Swancor Aims at One Billion NT$ Wind Power Business Opportunity
Economic Daily News
Reporter Zhou Yi Long
Taipei
2011.07.21 03:57 am

SHIH Yen-hsiang, Minister of Economic Affairs, pledged yesterday to actively develop offshore wind power and called for more than 1,000 wind turbines along Taiwan’s coast by 2030, with two trial development cases to be announced next month. Swancor Wind Blade Materials, expressed their confidence to win the bid and have planned to set up the first off-shore wind farms in Miaoli as early as 2012.

To produce 100-200 turbines for the subsequent large-scale business operation, Swancor pointed out that they will introduce investment partners and be in charge of operation

Swancor said that last year the company had been already cooperating with wind power companies Taiwan Generations Corp and Red Blades Windtek Corporation to build Taiwan’s first off-shore wind farm in Changhua county. Due to controversy over the endangered White Dolphin as well as other controversies, Swancor decided to change site, opt out of the partnership, and established subsidiary company, Cross-Straits New Energy Company ( provisional translation :海峽新能源公司,) for the promotion of wind power business. Swancor selected the area off of the Miaoli coast as the new development site due to the lack of environmental protection and fisheries issues, , and expressed their strong interest to cooperate with Ministry of Economic Affairs in promoting the development project..

SHIH Yen-hsiang, Minister of Economic Affairs, recently released sections of the new energy policy. In the presence of the favorable offshore environment and the need to accelerate renewable energy development, the government will actively pursue offshore wind energy development. This includes more than 1,000 wind turbines by 2030, total capacity of 4,200 MW equivalent to three nuclear power plants, cumulative industrial value of 500 billion NT dollars[17 billions USD], or 3.3% of total electricity supply.

Ministry of Economic Affairs claimed that two trial development cases will be launched next month with at least one billion NT dollars (34 millions USD) subsidy in place for two businesses to set up an off-shore wind mill demonstration by 2015, Taiwan's first offshore wind turbine. Following installments will be employed in Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi offshore with an annual growth rate of 240MW

Ministry of Economic Affairs pointed out that domestic supply chain of wind turbine industry are well developed; companies such as TECO Electric and Machinery Co, Formosa Heavy Industries Corporation, Taiwan Advanced Composite Center, China Steel Machinery Corporation, and Swancor, are all well-equipped to for system assembly and manufacture of key components

上緯 瞄準10億風電商機
【經濟日報╱記者周義朗／台北報導】
2011.07.21 03:57 am

經濟部長施顏祥周宣示要積極開發離岸風力發電，目標是2030年前新增逾1,000架風機，下月就將公告試辦兩案。風力發電葉片樹脂廠上緯（4733）昨（20）日表示，有信心奪標，計劃在苗栗籌設首座離岸風電場，首座風電機最快2012年就可完工。

上緯指出，後續大規模商轉所需的100部至200部風機，將引進其他合作夥伴投資，並負責經營。

上緯表示，去年原與永傳、紅葉風電等公司合作，於彰化籌建台灣首座離岸風電場，但由於彰化的白海豚保育問題等爭議，公司決議改變地點並改為自行開發，並成立子公司海峽新能源公司推動離岸風電業務，新地點選在沒有環保與漁業議題爭議的苗栗外海，將全力配合經濟部推展離岸風電的計畫。

經濟部長施顏祥日前公布部分新版能源政策，台灣海上風電場佳，為加速再生能源發展，政府將積極開發離岸風力機，目標2030年前新增逾1,000架風機，台灣總容量將達4,200MW（百萬瓦），發電量相當於三座核電廠，預估將創造5,000億元產值，並期望風能供電量可占總供電量的3.3%。

經濟部表示，將於下月公告試辦兩案，年底前先祭出至少10億元賞金，鼓勵兩家業者在西海岸設立離岸風力示範發電場，於2015年完工後，台灣外海將出現首座海上風力機，後續將在彰化、雲林、嘉義外海海域，以每年新增240MW的速度開發。

經濟部指出，國內已有完善的風力機產業供應鏈，包含東元電機、台朔重工、先進複材、中鋼機械、上緯等公司，都具備系統組裝及關鍵零組件製造的能量。

【2011/07/21 經濟日報】@ http://udn.com/

全文網址: 上緯 瞄準10億風電商機 | 上市公司 | 股市投資 | 聯合新聞網
http://udn.com/NEWS/STOCK/STO4/6475559.shtml#ixzz1V47cQYKs

For Your Information President Ma: “I am touched” Won’t Save the Taiwan Pink Dolphins

Press Release:

Press conference to be held by Matsu’s Fish Conservation Union, Changhua Environmental Protection Union, Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, Society of Wilderness, Taiwan Sustainability Union…….

Time: 1030 am Saturday 13 August 2011
Venue: Taipei Guest House (#1 Katekelan Blvd corner at intersection with Gongyuan Road)

Dozens of young people sent “save the Taiwan pink dolphins” postcards earlier this year to President Ma Ying-jeou imploring him to use his office to help ensure that all responsible agencies do whatever it takes to restore health and safety to the population of Sousa chinensis [pink dolphins] that inhabit the waters along the west coast of Taiwan. Mr. Ma, upon receiving the post cards said “I am very touched”.

However, 13 August 2011 marks the third anniversary the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) designation of the Taiwan Sousa population as CR or “critically endangered”, only one step away from extinction. The efforts taken by Taiwan to protect the dolphins and their habitat have fallen pitifully short of what is needed, raising concerns that this special population of animals unique to Taiwan could soon be lost forever.

On Saturday, 13 August 2011 we will deliver a petition to the president’s office expressing our hopes that Mr. Ma and all of those in his government, in addition to their being “moved” will take action appropriate to the severity of the situation for this population of fewer than one hundred animals and the habitat with which they share with millions of human occupants in western Taiwan.

We have the following three demands:
1. immediately declare “important habitat” for the area inhabited by the dolphins in accordance with the Wildlife Protection Act
2. confront and deal with illegal fishing practices in the area
3. convene an interagency meeting inviting environmental advocacy groups to deal with the five major threats* to the dolphins that were identified in the petition delivered to the Executive Yuan in January 2008.

We will show pictures at the press conference of emaciated and injured dolphins and will join a parade of large and small dolphins to the president’s office to deliver our petition!

For further information please contact Grace Gan (Ah Gan) Secretary General of the Matsu’s Fish Conservation Union 0928-926180

*habitat destruction, water and air pollution, noise, improper fishing practices, reduced flow of fresh water into estuaries.

報告馬總統：感動救不了白海豚 記者會採訪通知

發起單位：
台灣媽祖魚保育聯盟、彰化縣環境保護聯盟、台灣蠻野心足生態協會、荒野保護協會、台灣永續聯盟（持續增加中）

時間：2011年8月13日（星期六）上午10:30
地點：台北賓館前（台北市中正區凱達格蘭大道1號）

今年年初數十位小朋友將寫滿「救救白海豚」的明信片送至總統府，希望馬英九總統能讓白海豚繼續健康快樂地活下去，收到明信片的總統直呼非常感動。但是，明天就是IUCN（國際自然保育聯盟）將台灣白海豚列入「極度瀕危（CR, Critically Endangered）」等級的三週年，回顧這三年政府的保育作為與進度，實在令人憂心。因此，明天上午環保團體與民眾將到總統府前陳情，請總統在感動之餘，更要付出實際行動和關注，否則這樣是救不了僅剩不到一百頭的白海豚的！
我們的主要訴求有三：
(1) 盡速劃設公告白海豚重要棲息環境
(2) 正視及處理不當漁法的問題
(3) 重啟跨部會議處理五大威脅*議題
唯有加快保育腳步，才能讓白海豚免於滅絕危機！

記者會現場將公布最新白海豚過瘦及受傷照片，並有大小白海豚布偶和我們一起游向總統府！

新聞聯絡人：台灣媽祖魚保育聯盟 甘小姐 0928-926180

* 五大威脅為棲地破壞與消失、水與空氣汙染、水下噪音、漁具誤纏以及淡水注入減少。

The myth of industrial development

One of seven recent fires at Formosa Plastics. This one was in late July 2010: Photo courtesy of MFCU.


A letter by Chi Chun-chieh in today's Taipei Times provides some perspective on the history of Formosa Plastics Group's sixth naphtha cracker plant in Mailiao Township (麥寮), Yunlin County. Just a brief note on a single point that we tend to differ in our opinion to that of Chi's letter. Chi states, "Quite a lot of people living in the area followed in the tracks of Mailiao residents before them, accepting the government’s promises and supporting the petrochemicals construction project. Luckily, thanks to the efforts of environmental groups and people from other areas, the Dacheng project was stopped."

Our observation was that indeed "quite a lot of people" living in the area did support the project but at the same time there were many that didn't. Ongoing protests and opposition to the petrochemical project by many local people who depend on the Dacheng wetlands for their livelihood were well documented. Being one of the major environmental NGOs involved in the issue our view was the Kuokuang Petrochemical Project was halted thanks to the efforts of both locals and people from other areas coupled with the efforts of both local and international environmental, science and social justice groups.

Taipei Times
The myth of industrial development
By Chi Chun-chieh 紀駿傑 /
Tue, Aug 09, 2011

Industrial giant Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) has been hit by a wave of public opprobrium after the seventh fire in just one year broke out at its sixth naphtha cracker plant in Mailiao Township (麥寮), Yunlin County. The company has been criticized over the state of the plant’s pipeline system in particular, as well as its poor safety management and cost-cutting corporate culture. Aside from these problems there is another issue that deserves attention: the longstanding idea that business investment will bring prosperity and development to outlying areas — a promise often made by politicians and entrepreneurs.

Even before the recent big fires that have provoked protests by people living near the plant, two major fires that broke out at FPG’s sixth naphtha cracker in July last year had already prompted thousands of local residents to organize marches, block roads and surround the complex.

More than 20 years ago, it was opposition by people living in Yilan County, where FPG’s sixth naphtha cracker was originally going to be built, that forced FPG to choose the “outlying” area of Mailiao as the site for the complex. At the time, people in Yunlin welcomed the proposed plant in the belief that industrial development would bring them a prosperous future with plenty of jobs. Many people saw the plant as a money-spinner and celebrated its arrival.

The reception given to the project at the originally planned location in the Lize (利澤) area of Yilan County’s Wujie Township (五結) was very different from what happened later in Mailiao. In December 1987, then-FPG chairman Wang Yung-ching (王永慶) took part in a televised debate with then-Yilan County commissioner Chen Ding-nan (陳定南).

Wang said that if Chen gave the go-ahead for the plant to be built in Yilan, it would be a highly ethical decision that would bring great benefits to the county. Chen, however, responded by saying that if he allowed the complex to be built in Yilan he would be blamed for generations to come for what he called a “criminal error.”

In view of the seven fires in one year at the plant in Yunlin, and the protests that have followed, one can well imagine how thankful Yilan residents must feel today about Chen’s decision not to let FPG build the plant in their county.

In the two decades since it was built, the sixth naptha cracker plant has not brought the promised prosperity to the area. Instead, it has brought the threat of cancer and other illnesses, as well as the menace of fires that can and have broken out at any time. However, over on the other side of the Jhuoshui River (濁水溪), in Changhua County’s Dacheng Township (大城), the government was until the beginning of this year still offering the same old lures of “jobs and prosperity” to try and persuade local residents to support the construction of an eighth naphtha cracker plant.

Quite a lot of people living in the area followed in the tracks of Mailiao residents before them, accepting the government’s promises and supporting the petrochemicals construction project. Luckily, thanks to the efforts of environmental groups and people from other areas, the Dacheng project was stopped.

From now on, in view of the string of fires at the FPG complex in Mailiao, the myth that industrial development will bring prosperity to any area should come under stricter scrutiny and criticism than it sometimes has in the past.

Chi Chun-chieh is an associate professor at the Department of Ethnic Relations and Cultures at National Dong Hwa University.

Translated by Julian Clegg

Local residents give Formosa an ultimatum

One of seven recent fires at Formosa Plastics. This one was in late July 2010: Photo courtesy of MFCU.



Excessive pollution levels have long been common place at Formosa Plastics Group’s petrochemical complex in Mailiao, Yunlin County. Formosa Plastics was the 2009 recipient of the infamous Black Planet Award; for those who have committed themselves to the destruction and downfall of our Blue Planet in an outstanding way. One would think that after been singled out for having such a horrendous environmental track record that Formosa would take steps to clean up their image. Not on your life. Unbelievably Formosa took their toxic output to new levels. There have been seven chemical fires at the complex in past year.

After two fires at the complex just last week local residents have had enough. On Monday residents from the surrounding townships of Taisi (台西), Baojhong (褒忠), Dongshih (東勢) and Lunbei (崙背) came out in protest demanding a full suspension of operations at the plant. Tomorrow, residents of Mailiao Township(麥寮) will protest to send an "ultimatum" to Formosa to clean up or face continuous mass protest action.

The Formosa Plastics Group’s petrochemical complex in Mailiao is built on reclaimed land that was once prime pink dolphin habitat. Current and planned reclamation projects at the plant are further reducing the little remaining habitat of the critically endangered Taiwan pink dolphins. Shipping traffic at Mailiao Port and excessive pollution levels from the Formosa Plastics Plant are serious threats to the continued survival of the Taiwan pink dolphins.

See Rally planned at Mailiao plant and Industrial accidents show up safety talk in today's Taipei Times.