In Taitung, “Diao Zai Yu” is a fishing method practiced along the coast, where fishermen use handline and longline fishing to target specific species one fish at a time rather than using nets to catch them all at once. Less than 10 kilometers offshore along Taiwan’s east coast, the water depth reaches 1,000 meters. With complex ocean currents that make it difficult to operate nets, many high-value deep-sea species can only be caught with hooks and lines.
Line-caught fish often cost over NT$1,000. The more people who choose to support this method, the more likely it is to survive. If you want to experience this culture, head to the fish market at Fugang Fishing Harbor in Taitung to participate in auctions and a fish-tasting educational tour.
(Photo credit: @fish_for_v)
Is “Diao Zai Yu” a type of fish?
If you ask about “Diao Zai Yu” in the Chenggong or Fugang areas of Taitung, veteran fishers may first smile and correct you: that’s not the name of a fish. It refers to fish caught using sustainable fishing methods such as handline and longline fishing, which target specific species instead of casting large nets to catch everything at once.
(Photo credit: Taitung County Government)
Why can fish in Taitung only be caught with hooks and lines?
Because off the east coast, the water reaches a depth of 1,000 meters within just 10 kilometers of shore. Strong and complex currents make it difficult to use nets, so high-value deep-sea species such as longtail red snapper can only be caught with hooks and lines. Fishers in Taitung mainly rely on these two fishing methods.
Longline fishing: Locally known as “setting the line,” the main line ranges from several hundred meters to several kilometers in length. Buoys and branch lines are attached, and the line is left to drift for 2 to 3 hours before being hauled in sequentially.
Handline fishing: The line length is adjusted according to the depth of the fishing ground. Once the bait is set, all that’s left to do is wait.
(Photo credit: @tims6201)
(Photo credit: Taitung County Government)
Use the right hook for each season
Handline fishing takes place almost year-round, but the sea isn’t the same every day. In summer, fishers at Chenggong Fishing Harbor target bluefin tuna, mahi-mahi, and sailfish. The spawning season for blackthroat seaperch runs from August to December each year. During this period, they leave the reef areas to feed further offshore, increasing the chances of a successful longline catch. The fish caught during this season are also larger and have sweeter, more succulent flesh.
Lin Shun-Ho, who has practiced longline fishing in Fugang for more than 40 years, says the depth of the line changes with the season; sometimes they start at 200 meters and then lower it further. If the current is too strong, there may be no fish. If the current is too weak, the fish may not bite either.
(Photo credit: @tims6201)
How does Taitung’s line-caught fish make its way from the fishing boat to the dinner table?
On December 6, 2025, the Taitung Fishermen’s Association held two seafood education workshops that followed the entire journey from harbor to table. More than 20 participants joined a chef at the fish market auction early in the morning, where they cooked the fish they had bid on directly for lunch:
- Participate in the early-morning fish market auction and see how a fish is priced.
- Watch a cooking demonstration and learn how to handle freshly caught fish.
- Take a guided walking tour around Fugang Fishing Harbor and learn about everyday life at the harbor.
- Hear model fisher Wei Pei-Hsiu shares his firsthand experience, detailing the fishing methods for small fish.
(Photo credit: Taitung County Government)
Most of the fish caught were still alive. Some fishing boats used the “live bleeding” technique to bleed them, resulting in a more delicate texture. Longtail red snapper weighing more than five kilograms was cooked over an open fire for about 15 minutes. The housewives, who had initially worried the fish would turn tough, all changed their minds after tasting the bright red, velvety fish skin. Chef Zhuo Yu-Hong said, “There’s no such thing as a fish that doesn’t taste good—only people who don’t know how to cook it.”
(Photo credit: Taitung County Government)
The Piece You Pick Up Determines the Future of the Ocean
Hook by hook and line by line, this is a slower way to fish. Line-caught fish cannot match the volume of net fishing, and their prices are naturally higher. The idea that “eating fish can also help protect fish” means that when more consumers choose line-caught seafood, the larger the market becomes, and the more fishing boats can afford to continue catching them this way.
In Taitung, in addition to consumers, many businesses are also joining this movement. The Taitung Fishermen’s Association and FDC International Hotels Corporation have developed dishes featuring longtail red snapper and blackthroat seaperch, while seafood restaurants in Chenggong prioritize catches from harpoon fishing, longline fishing, and handline fishing.
To truly appreciate fish, you must understand them. Next time you visit Fugang, ordering a line-caught fish is one small way to give the Pacific Ocean a little more time.
(Photo credit: @david_huang_taitung)
