Talking of the lagoon where he had worked for seven years, Zai-quan Xiao beamed with enthusiasm.

In Houbihu, he helped deliver the first marine resources protection demonstration area (MRPDA).

Though transferred to Shei-Pa Police Brigade, he is still concerned about the future of the ocean in Kenting.

His story not only tells the vast potential of marine conservation, but serves as a solid model of expanding one’s vision and horizon.

“I have realized since my work of protecting lagoon urchins in Houbihu that nature has an amazing self-recovering power, and this is where the idea of establishing protection demonstration area came up.” Then Xiao produced a film explaining the economic value of ecotourism to convince local residents of the necessity of managing Taiwan’s marine resources sustainably.

“The transformation of the lagoon area has taught us a lesson: Doing is more difficult than knowing,” says Xiao. “As someone puts it, conservation does not rely on words, but actions.”

“The seven years in the lagoon is only a beginning.” Talking of marine conservation, Xiao beams with zeal. He travelled a long way without a complaint from Shei-Pa National Park, where he works now, to Houbihu for this interview. “I’ve applied for a transfer back to Kenting; I do hope to see, before I retire, that the marine area of KTNP becomes the fish reservoir of southern Taiwan, where tourism and fishery go hand and hand.”

A Beautiful Promise

Xiao loved to go snorkeling around the lagoon when off work (one round took about 3 hours), watching fishes swim freely among coral reefs. He recalled shouting toward the ocean when transferred to Kenting National Park Police, “I’m here to protect you!” That was like a promise, and he has kept it faithfully.

• upper: There are precious coral reef lagoon landscapes in Houbihu Marine Resources Protection Demonstration Area, which can be natural breeding fields for marine creatures. ／Photo provided by Houbihu Police Squad
• lower left: The particular lagoon landscape of Houbihu serves as the “delivery room” for many marine creatures. The picture shows that the restoration of See Egg Urchin (Tripneustes gratilla) has been a success. / Photo provided by Zai-quan Xiao
• lower right: Pictures show that the route of police's patrol car had been put nails that caused serious blowouts of the tires. / Photo provided by Zai-quan Xiao

Impelled by his own passion and a sense of honor, Xiao was actively and diligently engaged in his work; it was even so after his promotion as a squad leader.

To put down illegal hunting of Gray-faced Buzzard Eagles(Butastur indicus), he had to ambush in the dark mountains; to crack down on illegal dynamite fishing, he climbed to hill-top vantage point everyday to collect evidence; to preserve the sand beach, he made graphic signs and English flyers so the foreigners had no excuse to feign ignorance; to rescue a seabird entangled in fishing nets, he got soaked in Longluan Lake, battling for the freedom of the bird; to reinforce conservation concepts, he asked friends to record the details of their enforcement and had it spread on the Internet. He’d patrol around the lagoon day and night for the urchins; his patrol boat had been rammed by fishing boats during the enforcement, and on his patrolling route, there had been nails placed stealthily……

In April 2009, Xiao was transferred to Guanwu Squad of Shei-Pa Police Brigade, where he is as active and dependable, but he does not forget his promise to the Kenting ocean.

Keep the Precious Gift

“Local elders call the lagoon a ‘veggie farm,’” says Xiao, “but then the ‘farm’ became a ‘garden’ only.”

10 years ago, the lagoon urchins had nearly vanished, leaving the “farm” barren. But now it has a new beginning: besides urchins, the variety and number of creatures have remarkably increased. There have been Pygmy Seahorses (Hippocampus bargibanti)swimming among sea fans, Clown anemonnefish(Amphiprion ocellaris) settling down on anemones, and giant clams on coral reefs, as well as cetaceans, Green turtles (Chelonia mydas), and many other fishes.

According to a survey of Houbihu MRPDA, there were 13 new fish species discovered here in 2009, among which four were new in Taiwan. Adding to the excitement, a crab species previously unrecorded worldwide was found in Kenting in Jan. 2010.

• uppers: Pictures show that the route of police's patrol car had been put nails that caused serious blowouts of the tires. / Photo provided by Zai-quan Xiao
• lower left: After friendly dissuasion and communication through concepts of resource conservation, law enforcement is the last line of defense. / Photo provided by Zai-quan Xiao
• lower right: The three-layer net of several hundred meters catches nearly every marine life, including the uneatable fish. / Photo provided by Zai-quan Xiao

A fish reservoir with abundant resources

as it is, Houbihu MRPDA has attracted many anglers, fishing rafts and snorkelers. Now rafts fishing around the rim have enjoyed better catches, and the rich marine landscape has not only benefitted snorkeling agencies, but given a good boost to the overall economy of the area.

“I regard Hobihu a gift,” says Xiao. “This MRPDA is only seven years old, and it is like a talented kid with unlimited potential who, at this stage, still needs our loving care. If we keep our work going, we will be able to leave a special gift for Formosa.”

Now as the significance and benefit of sustainable utilization of natural resources are demonstrated, Xiao is no longer a lone fighter. The locals would provide information for the police for enforcement, while the travel agencies help promote the ban on foraging and catching. Affected by Xiao’s passion, people including his own friends, media workers, and scholars volunteer various forms of help; his colleagues are also willing to partake in his hard work.

Xiao realizes that his selfless efforts have formed a solid power for Houbihu MRPDA to move forward, and feels ready to shoulder more responsibilities.

Passion for the Ocean

Despite the risk of being caught near the rim, the variety and number of marine life in Houbihu MRPDA continue to expand, refuting the common myth that marine conservation can be achieved only on a large-scale basis. “The sustainable management of marine resources contains a win-win model for human and ecology, and this is a turning point for national parks. The growth of the demonstration area is surely to have a positive impact on the development of the overall marine resources,” Xiao explains.

• upper left&upper right: The high economic value of urchins had made fishermen willing to violate the law and forage illegally. In order to save the space, the urchins would mostly be cut apart and rid of their internal organs right after being caught. / Photo provided by Zai-quan Xiao
• lower left: There are schools of fish in Houbihu Marine Resources Protection Demonstration Area. / Photo provided by Zai-quan Xiao
• lower right: Xiao's dedication to the marine conservation has not only moved local residents but won him the praise from the director of KTNP, Qing Lin

Under the request of the locals, KTNP has established a second protection demonstration area. “The support from the locals plays the most significant role in making more people care about the ocean,” says Xiao. “Actually Hobihu is only a part of the blueprint in my mind, which is to make the Kenting ocean the protection demonstration area of Formosa. Now when marine resources are facing exhaustion, Houbihu MRPDA can serve as a model for other marine areas. If we persist in our goals, the Formosa ocean may become the protection demonstration area of the globe.”

“Marine policies demand effective enforcement, and the experience of enforcement should contribute in turn to policy-making,” said Xiao. “Marine conservation is surely a long journey.”

It is great to learn that there are people like Xiao working for the future of the ocean. We wish every fellow worker in the front line of marine conservation our best, and that the next generation will have a more beautiful earth.

Zai-quan Xiao

Zai-quan Xiao, graduated from the Taiwan Police College, had served in the Railway Police Bureau for seven years. Out of his passion toward National Park Police, he requested a transfer to Kenting National Park Police in 1989. For the past two decades, he has been dedicated to marine conservation and was thus granted honorary townsman by the Hengchun Township. Now he serves at Shei-Pa Police Brigade, but he is still concerned about the future of the ocean and enthusiastic about Houbihu MRPDA.

• upper left: Xiao's dedication to the marine conservation has not only moved local residents but won him the honorary townsman of Hengchun Township.
• upper right: Let's help make marine resources grow and keep this precious gift for our next generation. / Photo provided by diving coach Zhi-cong Wang