SKS Community Care Welfare Foundation Joins Shin Kong Life Foundation for Ghost Net Removal in Penghu
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The SKS Community Care Welfare Foundation joined the Shin Kong Life Foundation’s “Guarding the New Way · Shining a Light on Clean Seas” marine conservation initiative, working alongside Taiwan Underwater Production, ISLAND 77, joelovediving, BlueTrend, and professional divers from across Taiwan to return to Jiangjun'ao, Penghu, for a large-scale underwater fishing net removal operation. A total of 136 participants took part in the effort, collectively removing 3,420 kilograms of abandoned fishing nets and other marine debris to help protect coral reefs and marine ecosystems through concrete action.
Launched by the Shin Kong Life Foundation in 2022, the “Guarding the New Way · Shining a Light on Clean Seas” initiative mobilizes volunteer divers from across Taiwan to remove marine debris from the seafloor. Over the years, the initiative has extended its reach to waters around Keelung, Yilan, Penghu, and Hengchun. In five years, 25 clean-up operations have been conducted, involving 1,174 participants and removing a total of 15,190.5 kilograms of marine debris, surpassing 15 metric tons.
This marks the second consecutive year that the Foundation has returned to Jiangjun'ao for a marine clean-up operation. Last year, the team removed 2,740 kilograms of marine debris from the area, followed by another 3,420 kilograms this year. Together, the two operations removed 6,160 kilograms, or more than six metric tons, of marine debris. The continued return to the same waters highlights that marine debris cannot be addressed through a single clean-up effort and requires sustained, long-term action.
Abandoned fishing gear, commonly known as “ghost nets,” can continue to entangle fish, sea turtles, and other marine life after sinking to the seafloor. In the areas cleared this year, some fishing nets had become entangled around coral reefs and artificial reefs, potentially affecting coral growth and causing further damage as currents repeatedly pull and drag the nets across coral and marine habitats. Removing large fishing nets from the seafloor is far more challenging than collecting ordinary underwater debris, requiring not only specialized techniques but also extensive diving experience.
The divers participating in the operation came from across Taiwan and were all highly experienced. Together, they had accumulated more than 28,000 scuba tanks’ worth of diving experience. During the operation, divers first assessed how the fishing nets were entangled with coral and rocks before carefully cutting and organizing the nets section by section underwater. Buoyancy bags were then used to lift the nets to the surface, where boats and shore-based teams worked together to transport them back to land. In some areas, the removal process stirred up large amounts of sediment, creating near-zero visibility underwater and putting the divers’ technical skills, experience, and teamwork to the test.
One particularly memorable moment came when ARB-101 happened to be carrying out a mission on Jiangjun'ao during the clean-up. During a break, members saw the divers bringing large sections of abandoned fishing nets back to shore and voluntarily stepped in to help. Together with the clean-up team, they helped carry the heavy marine debris ashore. Although the groups had come to the island for different purposes, they found common ground in protecting the same ocean, creating a memorable example of people from different fields working together for marine conservation.
Since its first marine clean-up operation in 2022, the Foundation has spent five consecutive years removing marine debris from underwater environments. As experience has accumulated, its marine conservation efforts have expanded beyond clean-up operations into a more comprehensive “Sustainable Ocean” approach, advancing three areas in parallel: marine citizen education, marine ecosystem research, and on-the-ground conservation. The Foundation has also supported initiatives including coral monitoring, coral restoration, and citizen science.
The Foundation emphasizes that marine conservation requires sustained commitment as well as collaboration across different fields. Looking ahead, it will continue bringing together businesses, professional diving teams, academic and research institutions, and local marine partners. In addition to removing underwater debris, the Foundation will further strengthen efforts in ecological surveys, coral monitoring, and restoration, moving from “removing marine debris” toward “protecting marine habitats” and expanding the role of public participation in marine conservation.