Additional capacity limits and visiting time restrictions are to be imposed on visitors to the coastal conservation area near Chaojing Park in Keelung starting today, the city government said yesterday.
Under the new regulations, only a limited number of people would be allowed to visit specific areas during permitted visiting hours after applying in advance to better maintain the balance between environmental preservation and recreation, it said in a statement.
Apart from the existing “core region” of the conservation area, which extends just north and south of the park and about 200m into the sea, an additional “sustainable use region” would expand the conservation area to cover about 186,000 square meters, the city said.
Photo courtesy of the Keelung City Government
The core region is separated into intertidal and oceanic regions, both of which would be open from today to Oct. 31 from 7am to 6pm.
The intertidal region is to have a maximum capacity of 200 visitors a day, who must be led by government-certified guides.
The oceanic region is to allow a maximum of 200 visitors on weekdays and 400 on weekends. Divers need to be certified and obtain a permit from the city government.
In the sustainable use region, only people whose households are registered in Keelung City and members of the Keelung District Fisheries Association would be eligible to apply to harvest economic seaweed by hand.
The applications must be submitted to the association before Oct. 31 to take part in such activities the following year, the city said.
After the area was designated as a natural conservation area in 2016, local agencies and residents helped with patrols, ecological investigations, habitat restoration and beach cleanups, making it a well-preserved area, the city said.
As seaside activities became more popular, the area saw visitors trampling on the intertidal zone, and divers accidentally disrupting natural habitats, posing danger to themselves as well as local fisheries.
It was because of those issues that the city established the new restrictions.
People who violate the restrictions would be subject to a fine between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000, in accordance with the Fisheries Act (漁業法), the city said.
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