The effects of system-scale removal of oyster-culture racks from Tapong Bay, southwestern Taiwan: model exploration and comparison with field observations

Published source details Lin H.-., Shao K.-., Hsieh H.-., Lo W.-. & Dai X.-. (2009) The effects of system-scale removal of oyster-culture racks from Tapong Bay, southwestern Taiwan: model exploration and comparison with field observations. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66, 797-810.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Designate a Marine Protected Area and prohibit aquaculture activity Action Link

Designate a Marine Protected Area and prohibit aquaculture activity

A before-and-after study in 1999–2004 of 39 sampling stations in Tapong Bay lagoon, southwestern Taiwan (Lin et al. 2009) found that removing oyster aquaculture in a marine protected area led to decreases in the biomasses of four out of six invertebrate groups, after two and a half years. Biomass of sea snails (gastropod molluscs) declined by 98% (before: 4.40; after: 0.06 g/m²), bivalve molluscs by 97% (before: 274; after: 8.56 g/m²), amphipods (crustaceans) by 98% (before: 0.51; after: 0.01 g/m²), and shrimps by 50% (before: 0.12; after: 0.06 g/m²). There were no significant changes in the biomasses of polychaete worms (before: 0.32; after: 1.55 g/m²), and crabs (before: 1.59; after: 0.93 g/m²). In 1997, Tapong Bay became a National Scenic Area and oyster culture, which was intensive in the area, was prohibited. In June 2002, all oyster racks were removed. Invertebrates (>0.5 mm) in the sediment were surveyed using a core (10 cm diameter; 20 cm depth) at 30 stations (3 cores/station) in August 1999, October 2002, and January and November 2004. Crabs and shrimps were sampled in 2001–2004 (unspecified number of surveys) using a net at nine stations (4 nets/station). All invertebrates were identified and wet-weighed.

(Summarised by: Anaëlle Lemasson)