Material flow analysis of commercial fishing gears in Taiwan

Ching-Tuan Su; Falk Schneider; Paritosh C Deshpande; Hui-Ya Xiao; Tien-An Su; Ning Yen; Hsin-Tien Lin

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114822

Material flow analysis of commercial fishing gears in Taiwan

Mar Pollut Bull. 2023 May:190:114822. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114822. Epub 2023 Mar 17.

Authors

Ching-Tuan Su¹, Falk Schneider¹, Paritosh C Deshpande², Hui-Ya Xiao¹, Tien-An Su¹, Ning Yen³, Hsin-Tien Lin⁴

Affiliations

¹ National Cheng Kung University, Department of Environmental Engineering, No. 1 University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan.
² Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Faculty of Economics and Management, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
³ IndigoWaters Institute, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.
⁴ National Cheng Kung University, Department of Environmental Engineering, No. 1 University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan. Electronic address: hsintien@gs.ncku.edu.tw.

PMID: 36934489
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114822

Abstract

Marine debris is an international environmental issue, and the growing amount of abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is a particular concern. Despite Taiwan's substantial fishing industry, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of fishing gear. This work conducted a static material flow analysis to estimate the flows and the stocks of fishing gear in Taiwan in 2020, based on government statistics and interviews with fishing gears producing companies, fishermen, and recycling companies. Our findings reveal that the inflow, outflow, and stock of the fishing gears are 8,846 t/a, 4,271 t/a, and 4,575 t/a, respectively. Only 36 % of end-of-life fishing gear is recycled, while the rest is incinerated or landfilled. Additionally, the stock comprises 27 % in use, 23 % in ports, and 50 % entering the ocean. These results underscore the need to increase recycling capacity, prevent loss in oceans, and promote repairs to extend the lifespan of fishing gear.

Keywords: ALDFG; Fishing gears; Marine debris; Material flow analysis.

MeSH terms

Fisheries*
Hunting*
Taiwan