Hotel stops sea urchin buffet due to protest / 飯店推海膽吃到飽 環團抗議急喊卡　　　　　　　　　　

In order to attract customers, Palais de Chine was set to launch an all-you-can-eat teatime for sea urchins and oysters from Penghu yesterday. Faced with protests from environmentalist groups, the hotel decided to bring it to a halt. It stated that although the sale was legal, it would take in the suggestions and terminate the sale. To cater to customers' appetite for fresh sea urchins, Palais de Chine was set to launch yesterday an all-you-can-eat teatime Bafun Sea Urchins and oysters from Penghu for 51 days but was later canceled after environmentalist groups' protest. == IVY LIU, General Manager, Palais de Chine Hotel== We have always placed a great emphasis on the ecology. We had consulted experts and made sure that we complied with the regulations before launching the sale. However, we have decided to terminate the sale. The hotel has emphasized its willingness to take preventive measures. The environmentalist groups opposed the consumption of Bafun Sea Urchins from Penghu because of their scarcity. According to the investigations done before the harvest season, many of the sea waters had no more than 10 Bafun Sea Urchins left, which were all quite old. It means that something is wrong with their procreation. ==HSIEN I-CHE, Coordinator, Penghu Youth Front== Outside of the protected area, many areas have no more than 10 Bafun Sea Urchins left. The extinction of Bafun Sea Urchins will have a greater influence on the ocean than on our appetite. Palais de Chine stated that despite the decreasing number of Bafun Sea Urchins near Penghu, their populations in offshore waters have remained stable. After its assessment, the hotel decided to offer Bafun Sea Urchins longer than 8 cm in length, but now it has terminated the sale after the protest. The hotel hopes that the government can establish clearer regulations for compliance. TRANSLATED BY：LUKE CHIANG 新鮮的馬糞海膽，是不少饕客的最愛，台北君品酒店原本從今天起推出為期51天的「澎湖馬糞海膽與生蠔吃到飽活動」吸引民眾，但在環保團體抗議下，緊急喊卡。 ==君品酒店總經理 劉怡秀== 君品酒店秉持 對台灣生態環境的重視 儘管我們在事前規劃的時候 一切都是以法令規章 還有專家 業者的意見 但是真的 這個部分 我們還是會全面地來停售 強調為了尊重保育團體，願意採取預防性措施。不過環團抵制也不是沒有原因，因為過去澎湖的馬糞海膽，在地方保育協會的調查下發現，在今年採收期之前，數量就已經寥寥無幾，很多海域都只剩下不到十顆，就算有，也只剩下老生代海膽，沒有中新生代，表示海膽的生殖跟繁衍出了很大問題。 ==澎湖青年陣線召集人 冼義哲== 除了人工的烏崁保護區之外 其實很多地方都只剩下不到十顆 今天如果海膽真的滅絕的話 它對海洋衝擊跟威脅 不會只是我們人類吃不到海膽 這麼簡單一件事而已 君品酒店表示，先前已經針對海膽採捕作相關確認與研究，發現澎湖近海的馬糞海膽有減少，但遠洋的海膽數量未受到影響，經評估後、只販售8公分以上的馬糞海膽，不過經由環保團體善意提醒，最終仍決定停售，也希望政府明訂一套規範，讓各方有一個溝通平台，業者才有遵循的依據。 記者 朱芷儀 謝其文 台北報導