Massive fishing net found covering Penghu reef

2026-09-24

A diving instructor recently found a massive fishing net abandoned in the waters north of Penghu’s Qimei Island. The net, as big as two or three soccer fields, is covering an entire coral reef, seriously harming the local ecosystem. The Penghu County Government plans to send divers to remove it as soon as possible, but the cleanup could take up to two months.

A diver swims through a reef on the ocean floor, but this crucial habitat is nearly completely covered by a huge, abandoned fishing net.

The once diverse ecosystem seems quiet and gray, the net spreading through the reef and blocking large parts of the habitat. A diving instructor found the net between Penghu’s Qimei and Jiangjun islands, covering an area the size of two or three soccer fields.

Yeh Sheng-hung
Diving instructor
The net stretches at least 1 nautical mile in all directions, and maybe even further.

The area has strong currents, so it’s unclear how long the net has been abandoned here. Removing it could require over 20 divers, and even if each diver uses two air tanks per dive, the cleanup could take two months or more.

Yeh Sheng-hung
Diving instructor
I think several hundred tons of net need to be cleared. If two boats went together, they might not even finish in two months.

Hsueh Chieh-yin
Penghu agriculture and fisheries bureau secretary
Depending on weather and sea conditions and whether divers’ safety can be ensured, the agriculture and fisheries bureau plans to begin the cleanup next week.

Abandoned fishing nets are known as an “invisible killer” of marine ecosystems, and sea turtles have been found entangled in them. Given the vast waters around Penghu and its strong currents, removing nets like this can be extremely difficult. The county government plans to send divers to start the cleanup as soon as possible.

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#Penghu #marine #ecosystem #environment #conservation #reef #fishingnet #marinelife #damage

海洋殺手! 澎湖驚見廢棄漁網"覆蓋一海里" 水中生物恐喪命

2026-09-24

澎湖七美和將軍嶼之間的海域，有潛水教練在水底下，發現一片超大廢棄漁網，面積大約有2至3個足球場這麼大，覆蓋住整片珊瑚礁，嚴重破壞生態，縣府預計盡快派員下水清除，只是恐怕也得花費2個月，才能清完。

水底下，潛水人員奮力往前游，但眼前景象實在讓人震驚，大片廢棄漁網，像是看不到盡頭，珊瑚礁幾乎被覆蓋。

原本生機盎然的珊瑚礁，一片灰濛濛，廢棄漁網鋪天蓋地，這裡是澎湖七美和將軍嶼之間的海域，有潛水教練在水深26到32公尺處，發現一大片廢棄漁網，相當於2至3個足球場面積。

[[潛水教練葉生弘]]
“水下覆網狀況，東西跟南北向至少各1海里範圍，可能還更大”

由於這片海域是強流區，廢棄魚網不知道在這裡放了多久，都沒被發現，嚴重破壞生態，但如果要派員清除，就算每位潛水員一次用掉兩隻氣瓶，恐怕也得動員超過20人，花二個月時間才能清完。

[[潛水教練葉生弘]]
“這片漁網的話，我認為要清理的話至少是幾百噸，兩艘船一起出去的話，兩個月可能都清不完”

[[澎湖縣農漁局秘書薛皆音]]
“農漁局預計下週在海況許可，及潛水人員安全無虞的狀態下，來進行清除作業”

廢棄漁網被海洋保育人士視為生態「隱形殺手」，先前也發生過海龜遭魚網纏繞，澎湖海域廣大，部分海域具有強流等特殊環境，清除工作相當困難，澎湖縣府預計再加派人力，盡快清除這座死亡長城。

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