The Pingtung County Government charges fees to control the number of people entering Xiaoliuqiu's intertidal zone, but the National Audit Office believes there are loopholes in the management — not good news for those hoping to protect the marine ecosystem.

• The Audit Office said the county government has no grasp of the actual number of people entering the conservation area, and the total headcount does not match the number of tickets sold.
• Visitor violations have increased each year over the past three years, mostly involving collecting shells, catching marine life, and disturbing organisms.
• The patrol team has neither an assessment panel nor assessment rules, and outsourcing funding over three years rose from NT$5.74 million to NT$8.78 million.
• The Marine Fisheries Bureau countered that violations increased because Gebanwan was only brought under control measures last year, expanding the coverage area.
• After fees were introduced at Gebanwan, annual visitor numbers fell from 36,000 to 13,000, showing that using price to manage volume is indeed effective.

Outlook: The county government plans to write patrol personnel assessments into the outsourcing contract and to work with the Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area Administration to strengthen visitor education.