Page 45 - Hualien Sustainable Living Bilingual Magazine

Hualien Issue Formosa Association x Liao Hung-Chi The ever-adventurous Liao Hung-Chi established the Formosa Association in September 2022, with the goal of carry on his dedication towards marine ecological culture and expand his plans to cover more aspects. The association's main project is "Visit the Pacific Sperm Whale". Liao Hung- Chi is deeply aware of how unfamiliar people are with the waters around Taiwan, with many unaware that many sperm whales dwell at the bottom of the sea. Perhaps it is worth considering how, in addition to the land- based Formosan black bear, these intelligent oceanic creatures can also be the face of Taiwan's wildlife. To this end, the association is actively training marine guides to talk about cetacean ecology as well as Taiwan's coastal environment, fishing ports, and oceans. Turumoan Whale Watching A provider of cetacean-friendly whale watching tours, Turumoan Whale Watching prides itself on being more than just a whale watching tour company. The company actively participates in marine conservation and has even been awarded the National Environmental Education Award. Its conservation efforts include attracting volunteers to assist in the testing and recording of marine waste, supporting the WildViewTaiwan awards, and helping remote schools in eastern Taiwan broadcast videos on ecological conservation to educate students about the environment. The company hopes that these small efforts will have a ripple effect that will bring improvements to marine conservation. 40