歡迎光臨高雄市新聞局

 Grouper Fish Farming Industry in Yongan District

◎English translation: Marie Pelchat
◎Photos courtesy of Pao Chung-hui, Tsai Yi-jen, Information Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government

　Kaohsiung City's fish farming areas include Yongan, Mituo, Zihguan, Linyuan and Jiading Districts. In 1976, Yongan began producing firm and tasty grouper and today is the largest in the area, with over 1,000 hectares of fish farms. 1986 marked the beginning of the giant grouper industry. Grouper is a ground fish and is usually only visible during feeding time. Grouper brings great economic value to the region and last year Yongan's fishing industry was responsible for almost 70% of the city's fish production. As the 11th Grouper Festival will soon begin, this event held annually has allowed Yongan District to be associated with grouper in people's minds, earning it the title of "Home of the Grouper."
　Fish farming in Yongan District is a family business with every member of the household getting involved. This has resulted in a number of small fish farming villages springing up in the area. In 2002, Kaohsiung City Animal Protection Office set up an Inspection Station for Aquatic Diseases, in order to ensure high quality fish. Su You-chia is a fish farmer with over 35 years' experience and he feels the station has greatly benefited local grouper farmers with an approximate reduction of NT$100 million in annual losses.
　Su You-chia believes water quality management is the key to raising high quality grouper. In 2003, the Council of Agriculture, Fisheries Agency began promoting the High-Quality Farm Certification. Aerial photographs are taken of all fish farms in Taiwan and subsequently assigned a number. The Fisheries Agency also subsidizes fish farmers' stock, feeding, pH level tests etc. Farmers must make daily records and in order to guarantee transparency, post them on the internet. Su You-chia is a certified fish farmer and points out experienced farmers should always monitor the color of water and appetite of the fish.
　In order to avoid flooding and a subsequent economic loss, Yongan District needs the government's assistance in building a high-quality drainage system. After signing the Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), demand for live fish exports has increased. Fish farmers hope the government will continue to work with China in establishing appropriate quarantine procedures recognized by both sides and protect the fishing industries in the region.
　Giant grouper farmer Chen Wen-ke also emphasizes water quality management. Raising giant grouper is basically the same as raising regular grouper except giant grouper feed needs at least two years to mature, resulting in additional economic risk. Chen Wen-ke says there is certainly a market for 20-pound giant grouper, but prices are even better for the 30-pound fish. During the past two years prices for giant grouper have been maintained at approximately NT$ 270 per pound.
　With the development of Yongan's grouper industry, relevant and supporting industries have also prospered. Su Kuo-tai is the General Manager of Sun Young Frozen Food Co. Ltd. He feels transporting live fish is still challenging and therefore Sun Young Frozen Foods has created a -45 C rapid freezing technology and distributed them to local fish farmers who have acquired the Aquaculture Farmer Traceability Certification. His company has become the first processing company in Taiwan to obtain a CAS/Ubiquitous Taiwan Traceability Agricultural Product (UTAP) certification. Chief of Yongan District Huang Shun-yi believes these processing companies are extremely beneficial to the industry and helpful in ensuring farmers will not lose their investment, even when market prices are low.
　The Yongan Fishermen's Association and District Office regularly organize workshops in order to bring new knowledge and assistance to grouper farmers. They support the development of more sophisticated techniques and ideas, guaranteeing consumers are enjoying high quality grouper. 

永安區石斑魚產業

◎文／侯雅婷、蔡乙甄　◎照片提供／鮑忠暉、蔡乙甄、高雄市政府新聞局

　高雄市沿海地區的養殖重鎮包含有永安區、彌陀區、梓官區、林園區及茄萣區，其中，高經濟價值的石斑魚以永安區產量最大。去年，永安區石斑魚產量佔全市總產量約七 成，而即將邁入第11屆的石斑魚節，隨著活動的舉辦也讓永安區「石斑魚之鄉」的印象深植人心。
　永安區養殖漁業屬純海水養殖，因此魚肉特別緊實，口感佳，其石斑魚養殖面積近1千公頃，這之中也包括龍膽石斑魚的養殖，永安地區自1976年開始養殖石斑魚，當地的龍膽石斑養殖則始於1986年，而龍膽石斑養殖戶奠基於多年的石斑魚養殖經驗，加以永安區養殖戶多由整個家族經營，養殖聚落於是形成。
　因石斑魚為底棲性魚類，所以除餵養時間之外，養殖水面並不會看見石斑魚的身影。有35 年老經驗的養殖戶蘇有甲表示，養殖高品質的石斑魚，關鍵在於水質的管理。漁業署於2003年開始推動「優良養殖場」制度，即現在「產銷履歷認證」的前身，於全台魚塭均有空照圖且予以編號，漁業署補助養殖戶，從魚苗的放養、餵食、檢測pH值等過程均需每日登錄、上傳，養殖管理流程透明化。蘇有甲即為具水產生產履歷認證的養殖戶之一，他表示，有經驗的養殖戶除了觀察水質顏色以及魚的食慾之外，養殖之初也必須採購健康魚苗。
　蘇有甲也表示，永安地區仍須政府協助打造優質的排水系統，避免水患造成養殖戶慘重的損失。在兩岸經濟合作架構協議(ECFA)後，活體魚外銷需求增加，他希望政府出面與中國建立起共同被認可的檢疫平台，以保障養殖業者。
　而在永安區海水魚種─龍膽石斑養殖方面，業者陳文閣同樣強調水質管理，一般而言，龍膽石斑和石斑魚的養殖方式大致相同。但2台斤的龍膽石斑魚魚苗長至成魚就須2年的時間，養殖風險提升許多。陳文閣談到，龍膽石斑魚在20台斤時就有市場，但至30台斤市場價值更佳。這兩年龍膽石斑價格穩定，每台斤約新台幣270元。
　由於永安區養殖業發達，相關產業及支援系統也因應而生。當地的盛洋冷凍食品公司蘇國泰總經理在觀察到活魚運輸對於餐飲業者仍有許多不便之處，於是開發出零下45度C急速冷凍技術，結合具有水產履歷認證養殖戶，成為全台第一家通過龍膽石斑魚和石斑魚CAS台灣優良農產品驗證的水產養殖加工公司。永安區區長黃順益也表示，像這樣的冷凍食品加工公司對於永安區的養殖漁業有相當的助益，適時收購魚產，讓養殖戶不至於在市場價格不佳時落得血本無歸。
　高雄市動物保護處為了服務養殖漁戶，2002年於永安地區設置水產動物疾病檢驗站，以就近服務養殖戶，養殖戶蘇有甲讚許該站的開設，對永安當地石斑養殖業者有很大的助益，粗估每年最少替養殖業者減少新台幣一億元的損失。此外，漁會和區公所也定期舉辦講習，不斷地吸收新知，永安區養殖業者養殖技術和觀念日益精進，讓消費者能安心享用石斑魚。

Fish waiting to see the doctor
Yongan's Aquatic Animal Diseases Inspection Station

◎English translation: Marie Pelchat
◎Photos courtesy of Kaohsiung City Animal Protection Office

　When Yongan Aquatic Animal Diseases Inspection Station opens at 9 am, local fish farmers bring in their sick fish by the bucket load. The buckets are lined up by the door in accordance with their assigned number and farmers complete their registration form. The veterinarians then test the various buckets' water and ask questions while dissecting the diseased fish. They examine pathological changes in gills, body surface and internal organs. Virus tests are also carried out and recommendations are made based on the results.
　Sometimes more complex tests are carried out at the Kaohsiung City Animal Protection Office in Fongshan. The Animal Protection Office Inspection Station was set up in order to assist local fish farmers and provide them with water quality testing kits which assist in tracking changes. Grouper diseases include viral nervous necrosis, iridovirus and cryptocaryon irritans. Currently there are no treatments for viral infection, often resulting in great economic loss. The veterinarians can only provide early diagnosis, make recommendations on breeding rates, improve water quality and environment. In the case of bacterial infections, medications are administered in accordance with regulations. The veterinarians remind fish farmers to respect regulations relevant to medication. In addition, the Animal Protection Office will remind that dead fish must be disposed of properly in order to avoid the spread of disease.
　The Inspection Station's workload has been overwhelming. In 2010, it dealt with 4,500 cases and by the beginning of October 2011 it had already dealt with 4,100 cases. In September 2011, the Animal Protection Office opened its second Inspection Station in Linyuan District. Fish farmers and the District Office all praise the professionalism of the veterinarians, and recognize that the Inspection Station for Aquatic Animal Diseases is an important driving force behind the development of the grouper fish farming industry of Yongan District.

排隊看病的魚
永安區水產動物檢疫站 工作紀實

◎文／侯雅婷　◎照片提供／鮑忠暉、動物保護處

　永安區水產動物檢驗站早上9點一開門，就看到當地水產養殖業者提著裝有病魚的水桶掛病號，養殖戶自動將水桶依序排在檢診門口，填寫掛號單的同時，檢驗站獸醫師正在檢測水桶內的水質。
　看診時，獸醫師一邊問診，一邊解剖病魚，目的是了解疫情，同時檢查病魚鰓部、體表壓片及內臟各器官之病理變化，現場還會進行病毒初步檢驗，獸醫師依據檢測結果指導防治方法，較繁複的檢測必須帶回動物保護處鳳山處本部檢驗。高雄市動物保護處表示，檢驗站以駐點方式方便養殖漁戶送檢，除現場各項檢驗外，還提供水質檢測套裝組供養殖戶帶回自行使用以隨時了解水質變化。石斑魚常見的病害有神經壞死症病毒、虹彩病毒以及海水白點蟲感染症等，目前病毒性感染並沒有直接治療的藥物，對養殖漁業危害最甚，獸醫師只能及早診斷並建議由改善環境以提升育成率著手。至於其它細菌性感染，獸醫師會依法規允許使用之藥物治療建議並提醒業者遵守用藥相關規定。另外，動物保護處也提醒，病死魚應妥善處理，避免疾病之傳播。
　檢驗站業務應接不暇，去(2010)年總計服務4,500件，今年，至10月初上旬就已達4,100件，不難想像獸醫師們工作量之繁重，動物保護處更於今年9月在林園區啟用第二處水產動物疾病檢驗站。養殖漁戶和區公所等各界均非常肯定獸醫師的專業，並推崇水產疾病檢驗站是永安區石斑魚產業幕後的重要推手。