TAIWAN-ENVIRONMENT-FISH-SURVEY
A recent survey by the Shei-Pa National Park Administration recorded 117 adult cherry salmon in the Sijie Lanxi River, marking positive progress towards the 2025 release and restoration plan. The authorities will continue to monitor the population's reproduction, survival, and habitat changes. (Image: Cherry salmon illustration)

【Taichung, Oct. 26】A conservation project for Taiwan's endangered endemic freshwater fish, the Taiwan salmon, has made new progress in central Taiwan's Sijielan Creek. Shei-Pa National Park headquarters said a recent survey recorded 117 mature fish, indicating early results from a release project conducted by helicopter last year.

According to an Oct. 26 report by Focus Taiwan, the English-language news service of the Central News Agency, researchers carried out an underwater survey around the release site in Sijielan Creek and recorded 117 Taiwan salmon that were close to two years old and had reached maturity. Based on the 240 fish originally released, the survey's observed survival rate was about 48.75%.

Shei-Pa National Park headquarters said the survey team also observed courtship and pairing behavior, suggesting the fish could begin reproducing naturally in the wild as early as November. However, the actual results of any spawning will need to be confirmed through follow-up surveys.

To conduct the survey, the research team set out from Huan-Shan Village, followed the Zhijiayangshan Trail and then entered the valley. The team trekked upstream through the creek while carrying out underwater observations. Fish were recorded within about 600 meters of the release area. Researchers also found that some individuals may have dispersed upstream and downstream beyond the survey section, meaning the actual survival rate could be higher than the current estimate.

The Taiwan salmon is an important protected species in Taiwan. Its historical habitat has been affected by environmental changes and human development. Sijielan Creek was once part of its habitat, but an earlier conservation effort failed because habitat conditions were unsuitable.

Shei-Pa National Park headquarters said conditions in the creek began improving about a decade ago. After flooding destroyed a downstream grade-control structure, natural erosion formed deeper pools and a gravel streambed, creating habitat suitable for the Taiwan salmon.

In September 2025, the park authority used a helicopter for the first time to transport and release 240 Taiwan salmon, each about 10 months old, in the upper reaches of Sijielan Creek. The latest survey showed that the fish had grown to maturity, bringing new hope to conservation efforts in the creek.

Future monitoring will track the appearance of juvenile fish, population stability and the impact of natural events such as flooding on the population. The full results of the annual survey are expected to be released by the end of the year.