Rediscovery of Taiwan Ocean Heritage and Its Sustainability

Taiwan is surrounded by sea. With the interweaving impacts of its geographical location, geologic condition and historical development, Taiwan not only has its unique ecosystem, terrains and culture but also possesses rich oceanic culture and heritage. According to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act regulated by the Ministry of Culture in Taiwan, Taiwan owns tangible oceanic natural heritages, including Yehliu Geopark, Penghu Columnar Basalt Nature Reserve, Dongsha Marine National Park, and oceanic cultural heritages, such as Penghu stone weirs, Hengchun old gates, and Tamshui Fortress San Domingo. On the other hand, Taiwan possesses several precious intangible cultural heritages, such as Dajia Matsu pilgrimage procession, Jinshan sulfuric fire fishing, and Changhua oxcarts. In order to continuously maintain the oceanic ecosystem and cultural heritages in and around Taiwan, the government needs to not only establish a bureau to conduct a comprehensive survey to discover and reserve those precious marine heritages but also regulate laws and formulate policies to maintain, revitalize and reuse them. Moreover, the government should actively cultivate more professional talents, offer more chances to allow the public to participate, encourage closer cooperation between the public and private sectors, and integrate tourism resources, cultural assets and creative industries. Thus, the government can develop oceanic cultural industries combined with local features to increase the competitiveness of the tourism industries in Taiwan and boost local economic growth.