THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN COASTAL RESOURCE-MANAGEMENT - THE CASE OF KUPO ISLAND, PENGHU (PESCADORES), TAIWAN

This article discusses changing laver (seaweed) collection management strategies by devotees of a temple in Chikan Village, Penghu (Pescador es), and the successful transition fi om a declining local economic bu siness into a lucrative recreational activity. With nearly a hundred y ears of experience, a temple committee of Chikan has managed to firmly maintain its control on the collection of laver on the nearby island of Kupo. Originally based on the ideology of patriarchy, the managemen t committee of the temple has designed a particular system of laver co llection for each local household. Nevertheless, the migration of male residents has been a blow to the local economy, necessitating modific ations to the traditional old management system of laver collection. I n cooperation with the cultural agency of Penghu County the temple com mittee initiated a popular festival in 1996 to encourage all youth nat ionwide to join in the activities of laver collection. This article co ncludes that the Chikan case demonstrates the valuable function of a r eligious organization in the community-based involvement of coastal re source management. It also reveals that setting forth an active and fl exible approach to deal with a changing society is essential, Moreover , environmental education vis-a-vis coastal resources lit relation to recreational activities can encourage fuller participation from the yo unger generation as well as the public at large.