YuanGang Tourist Fishing Harbor Introduction
The old name is Yuanshan Port, named for its location at the mouth of the Yuanshan River. It serves as the port of entry and exit for the area, following the Tudi Gong Port. According to Cai Zhenfeng's "Yuanshan Gazetteer," Yuanshan Port is relatively wide and deep without obstructions, making it suitable for commercial ships, with masts towering and fishermen abounding. The Yuanshan Port is listed as one of the Eight Scenic Views of Pengshan. After the Japanese rule, communication with China was prohibited, leading to its decline. Around the 80th year of the Republic of China, it was developed into a tourist fishing port, offering visitors seafood snacks, sea fishing, and net fishing, among other leisure activities. The "Yuanshan Tourist Fishing Port" is located at the northern end of Yuanshan Township’s coastline. Originally a simple boat harbor at the river mouth, it has gradually transformed into a tourist fishing port after planning and construction, featuring fishermen's activity centers, sea-view pavilions, children's play equipment, fish grilling areas, shade trellises, performance squares, processing and maintenance venues, direct sales centers, shellfish breeding pools, camping areas, parking lots, walking paths, arch bridges, and pavilions. Moreover, a green area, sports square, and nostalgic light rail path have been developed in the west plaza for residents to jog, exercise, fly kites, watch sunsets, and listen to the waves, making it a multifunctional leisure fishing port. Here, visitors can not only purchase fresh fish but also enjoy seaside activities, like fishing on the shore, letting children fly kites, or gathering clams, catching shrimp and crabs, and playing in the sand, sharing joyful moments with their families. However, being a fishing port, the main attraction is undoubtedly the fresh seafood! The market auction for seafood at Yuanshan Tourist Fishing Port takes place every morning at 6:30 AM, where freshly caught and lively seafood is auctioned off to market vendors and restaurant owners. Additionally, many locals wake up early to select fresh fish to cook at home, as the seafood here is cheaper and fresher than that sold in the market, making it worth the early morning rise. The activity center at Yuanshan Tourist Fishing Port also has a restaurant serving fresh catches to visitors, with dishes depending on what the fishing boats catch that day, ensuring fresh and delicious seafood! If you visit the fishing port in the afternoon, don't miss the beautiful sunset at Yuanshan Tourist Fishing Port. The golden afterglow dances on the glassy water, as you listen to the sound of the waves and watch the surrounding light slowly transition from a passionate reddish-brown to a soft golden hue, relaxing your mood and creating a sense of infinite comfort. Many visitors come here specifically to enjoy the sunset! "Yuanshan Fish Balls" are well-known. Yuanshan Tourist Fishing Port is typical of the western coastal sandy beach, with significant tidal differences, wide and gentle beaches, and long and deep intertidal zones, resulting in rich coastal fisheries. The main fish types in spring include mullet, mackerel, pomfret, and ribbonfish; in summer and autumn, there are cuttlefish, flatfish, shrimp, and crabs; and in winter, the primary catch includes blackfish, mullet, mackerel, pomfret, and ribbonfish. Fresh seafood is available year-round for the public to enjoy. The Yuanshan area has an abundant supply of sandbar sharks and hammerhead sharks; however, in the early post-war period, due to inconvenient transportation and the sharks' short shelf life, when fishermen caught an excess during the fishing season, the supply would exceed demand, leading to a production and sales imbalance. Fishermen started making fish balls using freshly caught sharks to solve this issue. Since the fish balls are made from fresh sharks, they are fragrant and chewy, with a delicious flavor, enjoying great popularity. Thus, "Yuanshan Fish Balls" have gained fame and become a well-known specialty of Yuanshan throughout Taiwan.
