• DOI:10.1007/S10113-010-0199-0
• Corpus ID: 154389683

How to amend land subsidence treatment policies to solve coastal subsidence problems in Taiwan

@article{Sun2011HowTA,
  title={How to amend land subsidence treatment policies to solve coastal subsidence problems in Taiwan},
  author={Peter Lin Sun and Chun-Chou Yang and Tai-Wai Lin},
  journal={Regional Environmental Change},
  year={2011},
  volume={11},
  pages={679-691}
}

• P. Sun, Chun-Chou Yang, Tai-Wai Lin
• Published 1 September 2011
• Economics
• Regional Environmental Change

Coastal land subsidence is a serious problem in Taiwan. Starting in 1995, the goal of the “Land Subsidence Prevention and Treatment Implementation Program” is to restructure the aquaculture industry to reduce groundwater consumption and reduce coastal land subsidence problems. However, this goal has not been met. This study aims to determine the reasons for its failure through a literature review and an analysis of questionnaires of stakeholders taken over a 5-year period, and design a new program to resolve these problems. The study was conducted in 2005–2009. According to the literature, over-pumping of groundwater around densely concentrated coastal fish ponds is the primary cause of coastal land subsidence. However, the key measure of the program was to establish aquaculture districts primarily in subsiding coastal areas, which failed to reduce land subsidence. In addition, the program did not consider reductions in agricultural and industrial groundwater use. Results of the questionnaire survey were in accord with the literature review results. This paper proposes to establish a “Fish Farming Abandonment Program” offering compensation payments and job training to fish farmers who leave the aquaculture business, thus reducing the amount of coastal land devoted to fish farming, decreasing groundwater consumption, and halting further coastal subsidence. In addition, the proposal also suggests adjustments to the structure of the agriculture industry. The results of this study can serve as a reference for governments of Taiwan and other countries.