By Eryk Michael Smith/Staff
(All photos courtesy of the Ocean Conservation Administration. The cover image shows children from the Kaohsiung Port Childcare Center -Taiwan International Ports Corporation- interacting enthusiastically during the exhibition tour.)
KAOHSIUNG — The Ocean Conservation Administration (海洋保育署) kicked off a three-day exhibition at the Pier-2 Art District (駁二藝術特區) this weekend to mark the 5th anniversary of the Marine Debris Recycling Coalition (海廢再生聯盟). The event runs from October 31 to November 2 at Pinway Warehouse No. 8 (Pinway 八號倉庫).
The annual gathering brings together more than 70 member organizations across recycling, manufacturing, design, academia, and government. During the opening ceremony, OCA presented the Marine Debris Circular Impact Award (海廢再生影響力供應鏈獎) to organizations demonstrating leadership in transforming marine debris into usable materials and products.
OCA Director General Lu Shiau-Yun (陸曉筠 署長) said this year’s exhibition, titled “Beyond the Blue Whale’s Journey,” (巨鯨之後) was inspired by the widely reported 2020 stranding of a blue whale in Changbin (臺東長濱), whose death was caused by entanglement in discarded fishing rope.
“We hope that beyond the emotional reaction to such a tragedy, the public can recognize the ongoing impact of marine debris and take real action in daily life,” Lu said. She also noted that this year, the OCA assisted the alliance in conducting a carbon footprint assessment of products made from marine debris. The results showed that by using recycled ocean materials and improving product design and manufacturing processes, these upcycled marine products can achieve a 50% to 70% reduction in carbon emissions. Looking ahead, the OCA will continue to enhance economic incentives and support the alliance in bringing its distinctive, sustainability-driven products to international markets.
Circular Economy in Practice
The exhibition features hands-on stations where visitors can:
- Identify different types of discarded fishing nets
- Learn how marine debris is processed into new materials
- Explore upcycled consumer goods developed by coalition members
Visitors can vote for their favorite products via QR code and indicate the price they would be willing to pay.
The event also includes the debut screening of Fishing Gear Recycling Handbook (漁網回收手冊動畫), an animated educational short featuring OCA’s mascot marine species.
Workshops and Halloween Activities
Because the exhibition coincides with Halloween weekend, organizers added festive touches, including a pumpkin buoy photo wall (南瓜浮球打卡牆).
On November 1 and 2, a total of 12 Marine Debris Craft Workshops (海廢手作工作坊) will invite families to create objects using repurposed marine materials. Limited walk-in spaces are available.
Growing Coalition
The Marine Debris Recycling Coalition has grown to more than 70 members since its founding in 2021. Ongoing collaboration will be key to building a stable marine circular-economy supply chain in Taiwan, OCA officials said.
The exhibition is free and open to the public through November 2, at Pinway Warehouse No. 8 (Pinway 八號倉庫).
