We once thought the resources of the deep blue sea to be endless. In the book of Genesis, God said "Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life,” then "... created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind...” we never thought that the abundant life found in the oceans would one day become extinct. Yet experts forecast that saltwater fish resources may be exhausted by 2048, at which time humans will no longer have wild fish to catch and eat. This prediction is not mere alarmism.

Amongst the many scholars devoting themselves to research, a group of researchers has quietly been working for the ecology of the oceans. One such researcher is Shao Kwang-Tsao, Executive Director of the Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica. Shao has dedicated himself to ocean conservation for many years, publishing books concerning the importance of conserving ocean resources, promoting documentaries on ocean conservation, and finding time to participate in various science seminars and accepting television interviews. Shao works to speak up for endangered fish, urging the public to recognize the importance of ocean ecology. His drive and sense of mission are best explained starting with his long relationship with the sea.

To know fish is to love fish

Shao is the Principal Investigator of the Fish Database of Taiwan. In explaining the purpose of the database, he explains that “There are major regional differences in the names of fish, and the use of different names for the same species of fish often causes difficulty in research and communication, so we hope that the standardization of names for fish can provide a foundation that everyone can follow. Also, for past generations, data was produced by and for one’s self, and once a researcher retired or passed away, their data was gone with them. That’s really a shame. I hope that by establishing this database, I can preserve the precious gains of research for everyone.” With years of effort, the assembled manpower of the lab team, and subsidies from various programs, the team has worked to preserve and integrate research data for each species of fish for the convenience of researchers and the general public. With the project now in its 10^th year, the database has collected approximately 3,100 Taiwan fish species, with considerable related content.

From the Fishery Biology Group in the Zoology Department to the Institute of Oceanography, Shao has long had a deep connection to the sea. He began life as a research diver as a research assistant, making regular dives to collect fish specimens and bring them back to the lab for classification, recording, and further ecological research and analysis. Unlike buying fish from a fish market or aquarium to research, dive collection allows for more complete, comprehensive documentation of Taiwan’s fish species. Shao recalls that “In those days, every time I came back from a trip, I could discover new fish. But the dives weren’t necessarily always fun. Sometimes I would run into a shark, or swells would prevent me from swimming back.” Even so, from the moment he laid eyes on the ocean floor, the deep blue waters, brightly colored coral reefs, and the schools of fish swimming among them became his passion.

Through his years of diving experience and in the course of his research, Shao has profoundly felt the dramatic shifts in the marine environment. “When I was young, if you looked into the ocean from the shore you could see it was full of fish, but now you don’t see a one,” he says wistfully, speaking of his youth in Keelung. “Back then, there were shells all over the beaches, but if you look now there aren’t any shells to collect. If you don’t compare things with the past, you have no way of knowing how dramatic the change has been.” In fact, in the space of just a few decades, both the number of fish and the number of fish species in the oceans have decreased, and many species of fish are on the brink of extinction.

Don’t let it be your chopsticks that destroy a species

Imagine what it would be like if one day future generations can only learn about ocean ecology by looking at specimens in museums. If we don’t take action, this scene will be more than just a clip from conservation film.

There are a few basic principles to be aware of, such as substituting farmed fish for ocean fish caught in the wild; following the principle of “eating from the bottom,” that is, purchasing seafood from the bottom of the food chain as much as possible; eating mainly fish farmed in ways that are not ecologically damaging; and not buying fish caught using unsustainable fishing methods. Let’s all do our part from the consumer end, combining our own small power as individuals into an unmatchable force for sustaining the ecology of the oceans.

Then, one day when our children have grown up, the azure seas will continue to shine brilliantly, and the fish will still leisurely swim among the algae and sea grass.

The Fish Datebase of Taiwan

http://fishdb.sinica.edu.tw/

Digital Museum of Zoology, National Taiwan University-Freshwater Fish Database

http://archive.zo.ntu.edu.tw/fish_search.asp