National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) and a consortium of research teams, known as the Taiwan Ocean Union (TOU), launched a significant initiative in Matsu on July 10th with the support of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). The ceremony was witnessed by President Hsu Tai-Wen(許泰文) of NTOU, Deputy Chairperson Lin Minn-Tsong(林敏聰) from MOST, County Magistrate Wang Chung-Ming(王忠銘) of Lienchiang, and Chairman chang Yung-Jiang(張永江). The marine environment and meteorological observation buoy, developed in collaboration by Professor Jan Sen(詹森) from National Taiwan University and Professor Chiang Kuo-Ping(蔣國平) from NTOU, will provide real-time comprehensive data on marine and atmospheric conditions, serving as a valuable scientific reference for local industries.

Located in the strategic hub, Lienchiang County, where the buoy is deployed, serves as a crucial path for the coastal flow entering the Taiwan Strait and is an important aquaculture site for economically valuable fish species and renowned Matsu clams. Traditional fishermen adopt passive aquaculture methods, making it challenging to respond promptly to oceanic climate changes. The newly launched marine environment and meteorological observation buoy will capture and transmit essential environmental data, including temperature, salinity, wind speed, humidity, rainfall, and water level, every 10 minutes. The collected hydrological data will facilitate long-term monitoring of oceanic water masses, assisting fishermen in actively monitoring the coastal flow patterns of winter low-temperature and low-salinity water from the Minzhe region. Through digital communication, the scientific data will be transmitted in real-time, contributing to the mapping of marine hydrological changes and connecting to cloud-based databases. In the future, marine scientific data will be accessible on personal mobile devices, enabling proactive monitoring of the marine environment and assisting fishermen in taking preventive measures against sudden environmental changes.

President Hsu Tai-Wen emphasized that the oceans hold abundant and valuable resources. The integration of digital technology and environmental sustainability is a crucial focus of NTOU's efforts. As a cross-domain platform, NTOU collaborates with MOST, National Taiwan University, and Lienchiang County Government to jointly launch the marine environment and meteorological observation buoy in Matsu, marking a significant milestone in Taiwan's digital marine era.

NTOU has a long-standing collaboration with Lienchiang County Government, establishing the Matsu Campus in 2018. Leveraging expertise in marine science research, NTOU promotes marine tourism, develops the Matsu Ecological Research Center to drive local development, and bridges local resources such as Matsu Distillery. Together, they foster industry-academia cooperation and assist local governments in promoting industrial upgrades, contributing to the creation of a sustainable island and fulfilling social responsibilities.