Urgent! Changhua Clam Disaster Losses Exceed 20%, Chen Su-yueh Urges Central Government to Announce Natural Disaster Relief

Changhua's coastal clam farmers are facing a devastating blow after heavy June rains inundated their fish ponds, causing widespread clam deaths. Legislator Chen Su-yueh visited affected areas in Fangyuan Township, where preliminary government estimates point to losses of NT$55.92 million across 466 hectares.

Farmers described the damage as more severe than anticipated. The continuous rainfall diluted the saltwater in the ponds, followed by a sharp rise in water temperature due to consecutive hot days. This drastic environmental shift proved fatal for many clams, with some farms reporting mortality rates as high as 60% to 80%.

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The damage has reached over 20% of the clams, meeting the standard for natural disaster cash relief.

Chen Su-yueh, accompanied by officials from the Fisheries Agency and the Fisheries Research Institute, confirmed that the damage exceeded the 20% threshold required for natural disaster relief. She is pushing for Changhua to be officially recognized as a disaster-stricken area for clams, advocating for a swift, simple, and lenient aid process, mirroring that already in place for Yunlin and Chiayi counties.

Changhua is Taiwan's third-largest clam producer, with approximately 1,330 hectares dedicated to aquaculture, 931 of which are in Fangyuan. The legislator stressed the vulnerability of clam farming to extreme weather and urged affected farmers to report their losses to local authorities to secure their rights to assistance.

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We hope the central government can quickly announce that Changhua County is included in the natural disaster relief for clams, and handle it with speed, simplicity, and leniency.