With regard to marine pollution control, Taiwan is limited both in emergency response manpower and resources. To enhance capacities in this area, the EPA has been effectively employing high-tech tools such as computer simulation models and remote monitoring that can quickly provide a more accurate picture of the scope and movement of oil spills. The EPA is also working diligently on improving emergency response strategies, employing advanced technology and equipment, following relevant international regulations, and building greater international cooperation, including the sharing of experiences on pollution removal. Taiwan is surrounded by seas rich in marine resources and biodiversity. However, Taiwan also sits amid important Asia-Pacific shipping lanes used by many large vessels. Every day approximately 200 ships enter or leave Taiwan’s international ports and around 2,500 ships of all types travel close to Taiwan. During the typhoon season or when the seasonal northeast winds are blowing strongly, it is not uncommon for ships to hit coral reefs, get grounded on shoals, or even spill pollutants into the sea. Such incidents are a major threat to Taiwan’s marine ecosystems and resources. Legal Basis for Marine Pollution Control According to International Maritime Organization (IMO) analysis, about 44% of marine pollution originates on land, 33% originates as atmospheric pollution, 12% come from ships, 10% from ocean dumping, and 1% from marine construction projects. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) outlines the international obligations of signatory nations and their responsibilities to cooperate at regional and global levels to protect the marine environment. As the body responsible for formulating, guiding, supervising and conducting marine pollution control strategies as necessary, the EPA referred to the UNCLOS and formulated a draft of the Marine Pollution Control Act, which was then passed by the Legislative Yuan and promulgated on 1 November 2000. This was a monumental step in Taiwan’s efforts to prevent marine pollution, protect the marine environment and use marine resources in a sustainable manner. Marine Pollution Control Measures The EPA began training personnel in marine pollution emergency response after the Plan was approved. Through experience exchanges with marine pollution emergency response organizations and experts from developed nations, the EPA has improved the management and decision-making capabilities of government personnel at all levels. Every year the EPA holds training sessions for marine pollution emergency response personnel, including courses accredited by the IMO on responding to spills of oil and other hazardous or noxious substances. Taiwan’s Marine Pollution Control Act covers both pollution control and pollution management, including marine pollution prevention management and emergency response. The Act includes measures to prevent pollution incidents from transport of oil, marine construction projects, and land-based sources. To these ends, the EPA has adopted a number of advanced tools to strengthen cooperation between public and private sector entities that conduct aerial and marine patrols. Other technologies employed include the use of satellite remote sensing and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to facilitate inspections of pollution sources suspected of illegal discharges. Using Simulation Software and Remote Sensing for Marine Pollution Control Conditions in the marine environment can change very quickly. A successful cleanup operation depends upon the capability of response personnel to rapidly decide on optimal response measures after determining, in the immediate hours and days after an incident, the likely scope and dispersal patterns of an oil slick. The EPA relies on OILMAP simulation software to predict oil slick dispersal patterns as quickly as possible. Data for a spill, such as type of oil, volume, and so on, is entered along with background environmental data such as the location of the spill, wind factors, direction and strength of ocean currents, and so on. The software can simulate changes in dispersal at different times of day to better predict the movement of a slick. It also helps with predicting the impact of a spill, including: areas likely to be affected and probable volumes of oil; amounts of oil that could spread along shores and into waterbodies; and impacts on the air of a given area. OILMAP simulation software has been used to assist with the responses to all recent major marine pollution incidents near Taiwan, including: an oil spill from the Tzini, that ran aground near Yilan in 2006; an oil spill from the Jui Hsing, near Keelung in 2011; an oil spill from the Oberon, that ran aground near Penghu in 2012; the sinking of the research vessel RV OR5, near Penghu in 2014; and, the running aground of two container ships this year, the Yun Hai and the TS Taipei. Knowledge of likely pollutant dispersal patterns allowed emergency response personnel to rapidly execute measures appropriate to the locations and conditions of the incidents, thus better protecting the marine environment. Satellite remote sensing has also become more frequently employed for many types of environmental monitoring in recent years. To enhance marine pollution monitoring and emergency response capability, the EPA now employs satellite monitoring and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to evaluate and approve marine pollution prevention measures, monitor illegal discharges, and provide emergency response assistance. Conventional surface inspections of marine pollution incidents are invariably limited spatially and thus cannot give a full picture of the pollution. Remote monitoring from above allows for a clear view of the scale of the pollution, facilitating a shorter response time. The three types of remote monitoring technology currently employed in Taiwan are satellite imagery, UAS, and aerial photography. Sharing Knowledge and Experience through International Exchanges Every year Taiwan holds the International Symposium on Marine Pollution Response, convening experts from around the world. The EPA also sends staff overseas every year for training courses on marine pollution emergency response. The training also helps trainees to establish connections with people who are also in charge of marine pollution control work in other ministries in order to improve interministerial communication. The EPA also maintains regular exchanges and seeks new contacts with related international organizations to build international partnerships, keep abreast of the latest developments in marine pollution control, and be able to call up help and material support, if necessary, in dealing with future pollution incidents. In 2014, for example, EPA personnel went to France to take part in a marine oil and chemical spill response personnel training course held at the Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution (Cedre), an IMO-accredited training organization. Cedre is one of the few centers in the world that offers specialized training facilities and equipment training to give trainees the hands-on experience necessary for developing the skills to respond to real-life emergencies. Recent Achievements in Marine Pollution Control The EPA has been helping port management agencies to strengthen their oily water management, wastewater treatment and environmental monitoring capabilities in port areas. The EPA is also supervising the work of local environmental protection bureaus in improving pollution sources upstream of port areas. In 2015, the EPA completed 4,409 inspections of ship-based or port-based pollution sources, of which 39 were reported for causing marine oil pollution. In 2015, the EPA held five emergency response training courses to train personnel how to deal with spills of oil or chemicals at sea. The 174 trainees came from the Coast Guard Administration of the Ministry of the Interior (MOI), the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), the MOTC’s Maritime and Port Bureau, the Fisheries Agency of the Council of Agriculture, and local environmental protection bureaus. On 27 October 2015, the EPA held the 2015 Marine Pollution Response and Practices International Workshop that was attended by 120 delegates, including experts from Taiwan, the EU, France, the US, and Australia, to share their knowledge and experience in marine pollution response. In addition to oil and chemical spills, there is also the problem of alien species carried in the ballast water and sediment brought in by ships. Alien species may impact local marine and harbor ecosystems, and may also bring in pathogenic microorganisms. To address these concerns the EPA has been working with the MOTC to implement ballast water management. On 26 January 2016, the EPA announced the Regulations Governing Dischargeable Substances and their Management According to Article 3 Paragraph 6 of the Marine Pollution Control Act, and the Taiwan Territorial Waters as Maritime Control Zones in which Changing Ballast Water is Forbidden and Its Pollution Control Measures. Future Task: Capacity Enhancement with Limited Manpower In light of the limited manpower and resources available to deal with marine pollution incidents, how to effectively apply high-tech approaches to enhance overall marine pollution response capability is a problem that is taxing government agencies worldwide. Fortunately, technologies have developed rapidly – especially computer technology. Numerical simulation models drastically reduce the time needed to predict how oil spills or other pollutants will disperse on the ocean’s surface and allow decision makers to respond more effectively. In addition, optical imaging and radar satellite remote sensing is now being used to provide highly accurate data for modeling analysis. Capable of monitoring large areas over long periods of time, these are now the best tools available for tracking illegal activities at sea that cause marine pollution. A major issue facing the government is how to prevent, eliminate, or reduce the impact that major marine pollution incidents can pose on human health, marine ecosystems, and physical assets. Choosing appropriate response strategies, techniques, and cleanup equipment, as well as closely following the development trends of international marine regulations and agreements, are particularly important and will be the focal points for Taiwan’s future marine pollution control capacity building.