Analyzing Spatial and Temporal Changes of Aquaculture in Yunlin County, Taiwan*

Abstract

This article analyzes spatial and temporal changes of aquaculture land use in Yunlin County, Taiwan, and discusses the driving forces for these changes. Digital land-use maps and satellite imagery for 1982, 1988, 1994, and 2002 were used to extract aquaculture areas. A geographic information system was used to derive changes in aquaculture areas and to compute the spatial clustering statistics over time. A survey of eighty-seven farmers was conducted to obtain their views and concerns about aquaculture. The results show a rapid expansion in aquaculture during the 1980s, driven mainly by exports to Japan, and a continuous decline since the mid-1990s because of economic, environmental, and demographic factors.