371 Invasive Fish Removed in One Go! Underwater Survey in Pinglin's Beishi River Catches Bluegill, Tilapia, and More

To understand the distribution of invasive fish species and reduce their impact on native fish and the ecosystem, the New Taipei City Department of Agriculture and National Ocean University conducted underwater ecological surveys and removed invasive fish from the Beishi River in Pinglin. A total of 371 fish were removed, including tilapia, guppy, and bluegill (Brazilian pearl cichlid), along with other small to medium-sized fish. The survey data will serve as a reference for invasive species management and ecological restoration. The Department of Agriculture stated that this year, professional scuba diving methods were employed, allowing the research team to directly observe fish activity and habitat conditions underwater. Detailed records of the species caught and their characteristics were compiled to gradually build a comprehensive river ecosystem management database. All captured fish, after scientific documentation, will undergo humane processing, transportation, and disposal according to standard procedures to strictly prevent invasive species from re-entering other water bodies. In recent years, some invasive fish species in the Beishi River may have entered the river due to public release, abandonment, or feeding, gradually establishing populations. They compete with native fish for food and habitat, affecting the original species composition and ecological balance of the river. Managing invasive species cannot solely focus on the quantity removed in a single operation; it requires long-term and systematic surveys to grasp population dynamics, distribution, and habitat conditions to accurately assess removal effectiveness and iteratively refine management strategies. Director of the Department of Agriculture, Chen Shih-hui, said that protecting native fish requires not only traditional river closure measures but also the integration of scientific monitoring and proactive management to maintain river ecosystem balance. New Taipei City's long-term promotion of river closure and fish protection has gradually shown results. In the headwaters of the Beishi River, the rare native fish species, *Kama-lan Qing-mo-chi* (Gama-lan Qing-mo-chi), measuring only about 3 cm in length, has been discovered. The pristine upstream tributaries have also recorded...