"Crazy" wind power wipes out fishing! Taiwan's largest fishing ground, the Three Northern Isles, targeted for wind farm land grab; northern fishermen's associations rise up in protest, vowing to fight to the end

Wind turbines closing in on Taiwan's most important coastal fishing ground: the Three Northern Isles in the northeastern waters! This stretch of sea accounts for two-thirds of Taiwan's coastal fishery catch, with abundant fish species year-round, yet now wind power developers want to plant turbines here. Several coastal fishermen's associations were up in arms upon hearing the news, angrily vowing to oppose it to the end! Marine scholars also consider this case absurd; if it goes through, Taiwan's fishing industry will face structural collapse.

The development area spans 1,000 square kilometers; if it goes through, it will deal a severe blow to North Coast fisheries

Pengjia Islet, Huaping Islet, and Mianhua Islet are commonly known as the Three Northern Isles. Located 60 km northeast of Keelung Harbor, roughly the distance from Taipei to Hukou, Hsinchu, they constitute the largest fishing ground in the north. Not only fishermen from the North Coast, Keelung, and Yilan come here to fish, but many fishing boats from Taitung and Pingtung in the south also come to fish in these waters.

Recently, however, word spread that wind power developers want to develop wind farms in these waters. German wind power company the German Energy Group admitted it indeed has a development plan. Records show that German Energy plans to develop three project sites in the North Coast and northeastern waters, covering an area of up to 1,000 square kilometers.

The Three Northern Isles are about 60 km from the main island, roughly the distance from Taipei to Hsinchu. (Image source / National Communications Commission)

The Heyi site is 9 km off the coast of Shimen, with an area of 334 square kilometers. (Public records)

The He'ernan site is 13 km off the coast of Keelung, with an area of 316 square kilometers, directly incorporating Huaping Islet of the Three Northern Isles into the development zone. (Public records)

The He'erbei site is 32 km off the coast of Wanli, with an area of 317 square kilometers, visibly quite close to the Three Northern Isles waters. (Public records)

Waves of opposition arose from fishermen's associations in Keelung, the North Coast, and Yilan. Cai Yuanlong, chairman of the Su'ao Fishermen's Association and a former veteran captain, said with grief and indignation: "The Three Northern Isles are Taiwan's most important fishing ground. Installing wind turbines is like wiping out fishing!"

Scholars also shake their heads repeatedly at the practice of wind power grabbing land everywhere. Liao Zhengxin, dean of the College of Marine Sciences at National Taiwan Ocean University, pointed out that the Three Northern Isles are the most important coastal fishing ground in our economic waters, and also a spawning ground for many fish species, with extremely high biodiversity. He was left speechless by the government allowing wind power developers to propose land grabs before conducting environmental impact assessments.

North Coast fishermen's associations rise up in protest; Keelung Fishermen's Association: We oppose it to the end, developers need not come lobbying again

Chen Wenqin, general secretary of the Keelung District Fishermen's Association, said the Three Northern Isles are not only the largest fishing ground in the north, but also the most abundant coastal fishery resource in the country, with mackerel, squid, greater amberjack, and Japanese horse mackerel, and different fish species available for catching in each season. He stressed, "If the government wants to phase out nuclear power and develop green energy, it should also take fishermen's livelihoods into consideration." Developers had also come to the Keelung Fishermen's Association to lobby, saying they would set up artificial reefs under the turbines, "but the association will absolutely not agree, and we told the developer not to come again," he said.

Regarding the wind turbine invasion, fishermen's associations along the North Coast were unanimous in opposition. Zhu Liluan, general secretary of the Jinshan District Fishermen's Association, said the plan is right off the coast of Jinshan and will certainly affect fishermen's operations and navigational safety. They have already made their opposition clear to the developer, and have explained the threat of this case to fishermen; fishermen and the association share the same opposing stance, and will absolutely "express fishermen's voices" to the central government in the future.

Fang Cihai, secretary of the Wanli District Fishermen's Association, believes the developer's plan is terrible. The Three Northern Isles plus Keelung Islet are the foundation of traditional fisheries' survival, and it will also affect navigational safety.

Veteran Su'ao captain: The Three Northern Isles are the most important coastal fishing ground; installing wind turbines is like wiping out fishing!

Upon hearing that wind power developers want to develop the Three Northern Isles waters, Cai Yuanlong, chairman of the Su'ao District Fishermen's Association, described hearing the news as like "the arrival of doomsday." He said Su'ao fishing boats generate at least 1 billion in annual output value in those waters. "Mackerel, cutlassfish, and bigeye scad all breed and migrate in those waters. If the fishing ground is lost, our children and grandchildren won't be able to fish either." At the end, he could not help but say with grief and indignation: "If our government wants to destroy the fishing ground, then go ahead! But the Su'ao District Fishermen's Association will absolutely, one hundred percent, oppose it to the end."

Cai Yuanlong, a former veteran captain, recalled that the wind farm development case not only threatens fishermen's livelihoods but also endangers fishermen's safety at sea. "When cold fronts come, sea conditions are changeable. Fishermen working in the Pengjia Islet waters often have to rush to shore for shelter in wind, rain, and fog. With extremely poor visibility, if they unfortunately collide with a floating wind turbine and a shipwreck occurs, can the government or the developer take responsibility?"

For the veteran captain, development in the Pengjia Islet waters should not even be open for discussion. He does not understand what the government is thinking. "Why can they allow developers to set their sights on the Three Northern Isles?" For him, if the government could understand fishermen's feelings, this case would have no room for discussion at all.

Scholar: The Three Northern Isles waters are priceless; once a grave mistake is made, it may uproot the fishing industry and cause structural collapse

Liao Zhengxin, dean of the College of Marine Sciences at National Taiwan Ocean University, is an expert in fishing ground management. He pointed out the importance of the Three Northern Isles fishing ground: "The area near Pengjia Islet is a spawning ground for many fish species, and also a traditional fishing ground for Keelung, New Taipei, and Yilan. The ecology here is very diverse, with the Kuroshio Current and coastal currents, continental shelf and coral reef habitats. In terms of ecological diversity, this place is almost priceless." Based on the principle that ecology is irreversible, he believes this stretch of sea cannot withstand any disturbance.

Liao Zhengxin also pointed out that if one really wants to estimate the output value of the Three Northern Isles waters, according to the 2019 Fisheries Statistical Yearbook, Taiwan's coastal fishery resource catch was 154,922 tons. New Taipei (28,996 tons), Keelung (45,713 tons), and Yilan (51,305 tons), which are mainly based on the Three Northern Isles waters, together account for 126,014 tons. Even if Yilan's figure is halved, the total still exceeds 100,000 tons, suggesting the fishery output value of the northern waters accounts for two-thirds of Taiwan's total.

Liao Zhengxin also emphasized that wind turbines in the west drive piles into the seabed, while the northeastern waters now plan to develop floating wind turbines, with the turbine mounted on a float and anchors and chains dropped to the seabed for fixing. "Within Taiwan's 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, the most valuable section is the continental shelf in the northeast. If the developer dares to say floating wind turbines can produce a fish-aggregating effect, then please have them present a research report."

Liao believes the wind turbine controversy on the west coast has already exposed the clearly erroneous practice of "choosing sites first, then conducting environmental impact assessments," without considering resources, fishermen's livelihoods, or fishing village culture. Now such an important area as the Three Northern Isles has actually become a target for wind power development, which is truly absurd. Once a grave mistake is made, Taiwan's fishing industry will face structural collapse.

Developer German Energy Group uses European experience as a selling point; Liao Zhengxin is incredulous and retorts: "Where in Europe have they completed a case? Please have the developer present it for us to see."