Battle to preserve Taiwan’s beaches
Print Edition
TAIWAN authorities are confiscating pebbles collected as mementos by tourists and returning the rocks to the island’s picturesque beaches as they step up moves to preserve the scenic east coast.
In the latest geological repatriation, a cache of stones taken from outbound visitors by airport immigration were last week sent back to Taitung County, where rugged seascapes attract tourists, particularly from China’s mainland.
The haul of pebbles, collected over two months at Taipei’s main airport, weighed a total of 100 kilogrammes, said officials.
Fears that tourists taking stones will erode the island’s beaches have prompted authorities to put up signs at the most popular sites and at airports in recent years.
Tourists want to keep the patterned volcanic rocks as souvenirs, the administration said.
“Taking one or two doesn’t seem like a lot, but our scenery will slowly disappear the more it happens,” said Lin Wei-ling, deputy director of the administration.
Taiwan’s tourism bureau has introduced a fine as high as NT$500,000 (US$15,430) for those caught, but Lin says no one has yet been slapped with penalties.
“We mostly rely on persuasion. After all, the fine seems disproportionally harsh for just taking a few stones,” she said.
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