Minister of the Interior, Shyh-Fang Liu, attended the inauguration ceremony of the “Dongsha Crown-of-Thorns Special Task Force” today (18th) at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center. Minister Liu highlighted the invasion of Crown-of-Thorns starfish in the Dongsha Atoll National Park waters, which threatens the survival of coral reefs. To combat this, a coalition of coral guardians gathered for the ceremony and will soon head to Dongsha Atoll to remove the starfish. Ten additional missions are planned for the second half of the year, each lasting one week. This initiative brings together multiple agencies, including the Ministry of National Defense, Ocean Affairs Council, and Ministry of Agriculture, supported by expertise from Academia Sinica, the Taiwan Coral Reef Society, and National Sun Yat-sen University, along with elite divers from across Taiwan. Minister Liu expressed confidence that this collective effort will successfully protect Dongsha’s coral reefs and restore the brilliance of the marine environment.
Minister Liu explained that adult Crown-of-Thorns starfish feed on coral polyps and naturally play a role in the ecosystem. However, under conditions such as climate change, pollution, increased larval food supply, and fewer predators, their population can surge, leading to coral reef degradation. Human intervention is necessary to curb their numbers and protect fragile coral ecosystems through ongoing marine environment monitoring.
The Marine National Park Headquarters has been monitoring the Crown-of-Thorns starfish population at Dongsha, and in June, researchers led by Academia Sinica’s Executive Director Ming-Shiu Cheng discovered hot spots where starfish densities reached 20 to 30 per 100 square meters. In response, the Ministry of the Interior immediately devised a strategy to accelerate the “Dongsha Crown-of-Thorns Special Task Force” operation. Following a public call for divers on July 10, 436 applicants signed up within 11 days. By July 30, 102 volunteers were selected, joining forces with 39 experts from NGOs, Academia Sinica’s Biodiversity Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University’s Dongsha Research Station, and experienced divers from national parks – forming a 141-member elite team.
Minister Liu praised Taiwan’s diverse marine talent pool and the public’s enthusiasm and dedication to protecting marine ecosystems. She emphasized that Crown-of-Thorns starfish outbreaks have ravaged coral reefs globally, including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Okinawa in Japan, and the South China Sea. Taiwan’s waters are now facing similar threats. Although the exact cause of these outbreaks remains under investigation, intensive manual removal remains the most effective short-term solution.
The “Dongsha Crown-of-Thorns Special Task Force” has adopted the Triton’s Trumpet, a natural predator of the Crown-of-Thorns starfish, as their emblem. Each volunteer was presented with this symbolic token, representing their mission to control starfish populations and safeguard marine life. Minister Liu expressed hope that every member of the task force will embody the spirit of the Triton’s Trumpet, ensuring the protection and resilience of Taiwan’s precious coral reefs.
