[[abstract]]The aim of this study is to understand the morphology, structure and fishing function of Chi□h-h□ (stone tidal weir) along the fringing reef flats of the Penghu Islands. Chi□h-h□ is a semi-circular wall of piled-up stone, it is probably the most primitive fixed fishing gear which is a man-made replica of the natural hollow found in a rock or coral reef which fills with water during the ebb-tide. Focusing on the cultural ecology, information was obtained for this study by interviewing fishermen and accompanying them to directly observation. Chi□h-h□ of the Penghu Islands can be classified into three type as indicated in figure 2. The length of the wall of the Chi□h-h□ is no less then 300 meters. Its thickness and highness are approximately two and three meters, respectively. In Penghu Islands, Chi□h-h□ have had a great economic significance for all members of communities with poorly developed systems of fishing technology. But it has already fulfilled its historical and economic role. Nowadays, with the modernization and mechanization of the inshore fishing, the primitive methods of fishing like Chi□h-h□ can hardly secure a stable catch.
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