20160226 Taipei First Fish Market 台北第一魚市場見訪

台北第一魚市果菜批發市場，位在華中橋台北市側 (台北市萬華區萬大路533號)，是目前台北市最大的魚貨及蔬菜水果批發市場，地位應該有如築地魚市之於東京一樣吧。然而魚貨拍賣市場第一是開放時間很早，魚貨大概凌晨兩點就開始陸續卸魚，而拍賣四點就開始，對一般人實在是有點早。第二，也是最重要的，魚貨拍賣市場不對外開放，所以一般人想去看也沒辦法。還好都有團體可以安排導覽的服務 (https://play.niceday.tw/product/992)，就趁回台短短的時間，來去參觀一下。

Taipei first fruit and vegetable wholesale market locates in the southwestern corner of Taipei-City, (No.533, Wanda Rd., Wanhua Dist., Taipei City 108, Taiwan), is the biggest wholesale market for the fresh fish, fruit and vegetable in Taipei City. Its role for supplying fresh fish to Taipei City is allegedly as similar as Tsukiji fish market to Tokyo, so i was interested in visiting there since some time. However, it opens early in the morning, as other wholesale auction fish markets in the world. The fresh fish arrive the market since 2 AM and the auction starts at 4 Am. In addition, only people with permission are allowed to enter the auction market. Fortunately, there is a tour host available (https://play.niceday.tw/product/992, only traditional Chinese version), and I registered one as i was in Taipei.    

既然有很多中盤商在這邊交易水果蔬菜和魚，導遊說，在市場附近的地區，是台北市產業公會最密集的地區  According to the guide, there are many merchants for trade on fruits, vegetables and fish. Therefore, the area around the market district has he highest density of trade unions in the Taipei City.

除了蔬菜水果魚，市場附近也有很多現做的豆腐店，一大早就做出最新鮮的板豆腐。這家店很親切地提供現榨無糖豆漿給大家喝。

Besides the vegs, fruits and fish, around the market there are a few tofu shops, producing fresh tofu in traditional style (the tofu is kept between wood plates, so that this style is called "plate tofu" in mandarin, meaning hard tofu). This shop is kindly offering us hot fresh soybean juice, based on which tofu is made.

貨車將貨物從產地運到市場，而電動小貨車就負責在市場內運送的任務。不同市場有不同顏色，例如紅色和黃色就運送不同的貨物。

The goods are transported to the markets by the trucks, and are transported inside the market by the small electricity-based carts. Different goods, such as vegs or fish, can be distinguished by colors of the carts.

早上四點半，魚拍賣市場已經充滿了運送活魚的卡車

AM 4:30, the outskirts of the fish auction market are already full of trucks for live fish.

魚市場拍賣主任，來替大家講解市場內拍賣的狀況

The manager of the auction market, who is introducing us about the fish auction market.

魚市場分成三區，分別拍賣近海野生魚、養殖魚，還有遠洋大型魚類。這裡是送到市場的近海野生魚，基本上都放在白色籃子內，一籃就是一個拍賣單位。

There are three zones in the fish auction market: nearshore wild fish, fish from aquaculture, and large fish from the far sea. Here are the fish caught from the wild, and they are put in a white plastic busket, the unit of the auction.  

更多在白色籃子內的"野生魚"。

More fish "allegedly" caught from the wild.

有興趣的買家，可以在開始拍賣前檢視漁獲。

Bidders can examine the fish visually before the auction starts.

拍賣開始。有資格的魚販，可以利用電子出價系統對想要的漁獲喊價。得標商和價格都會顯示在螢幕上。

The auction pricing. The qualified fishermen bit the fish being auctioned using electronic devices. The name of successful bidder and the price per kilo are shown in the screen at top. 

 

拍賣影片This is how the auction is going on.

在卸魚區的大黃魚(Larimichthys crocea)，會有人(漁民自己選或市場指派)將卸下來的魚依照體型分級，將適當數量的魚裝籃。

Yellow croakers (Larimichthys crocea) in loading area. There are people (fishermen, or assigned by the market) separating the fish in the busket in proper number according the size.

排好一籃籃準備拍賣的"野生"進口黃魚。

Baskets of "wild caught" imported yellow croakers.

市場特點，進口漁獲也當是野生漁獲拍賣。除了對岸進口黃魚外，還有東南亞的紅條，葉門的白帶魚。

Imported fish that are regarded as "wild caught" fish: yellow croaker from China, coral trouts (or red groupers) front South-East Asia, and cutlass fish from Yemen. 

也有用保麗龍箱裝的"野生漁獲"。

"Wild caught" silver croakers in Styrofoam boxes.

除了野生漁獲，養殖魚類也是拍賣重點。

In addition to "wild caught", separate parts of fish are also taken to the auction.

台灣養殖魚的代表: 虱目魚。

One of the representative aquaculture fish in Taiwan: milk fish.

除了全魚，虱目魚的各個部位也會分開拿出來賣。

In addition to whole fish, fish from aquaculture are also objects of auction.

拍賣市場監測室。

The monitor room of the auction market.

在監測室內，每一個拍賣商都有存放自己拍賣記錄器的空間。

In the monitor room, each bidder has his own locker to lock his bidding recorder.

拍賣市場販賣部，賣些咖啡飲料。

Small shop in the market, selling drinks and can coffee.

 市場後面是遠洋大型魚類區。這邊似乎拍賣已經結束了，只剩下切魚的大嬸們在工作。

At the back of the market locates the region for large fish from far sea. It seems that the auction has ended, and fishwomen are chopping the large fish.

鯊魚和旗魚塊。

Chunks of sharks and billfish.

拍賣市場後面是零售市場，可以買些鮮魚。早上來魚市場走走，一定要試試看小吃攤的東西，切盤小菜(豆乾+肉腸)、配碗米粉湯，來替參訪畫下一個句點。

The fish retail market locates behind the auction market. It has better to visit the food stands/small shops around the fish market when you get very early for experiencing what the fish retails' life. A simple combination of rice noodle soup, braised dried tofu and sausage will be a perfect end for this trip.

總體來說，目前(2016/10/22)應該還是有團體可以安排行程，所以台北第一魚市場批發市場還不算難去參觀。然而考量台北市，或是或多或少包含部分新北市的人口來看，那天去魚市場批發的魚算是非常的少，和東京的築地市場規模完全不能比。個人推測是這邊可能僅供應大台北地區傳統魚市場的部分漁獲。另外因為距離基隆近，所以東北角的漁獲，可能魚販就直接去基隆的崁仔頂魚市了吧。像是家樂福等大型生鮮超市應該有自己的進貨管道，應該也不經過這個批發市場。最後有一點令人擔心的，就是很多"進口"的漁獲，而台灣自己近海捕撈的漁獲寥寥無幾，包含對岸的大黃魚，就這樣大剌剌一堆一堆的在市場上當做事野生魚來販賣。養殖大黃魚有個特色，就是體高肚肥，一附油滿腸肥的樣子，絕對不是需要成天擔心生存的野生族群該有的樣子。有興趣的看官可以去魚市場看看，有多少大型黃魚肚子是瘦的呢?

Generally it is not difficult to visit Taipei First Fish Market since there is a tour available, as long as you can get up early at 4:00 AM. However, the scale and among of auction is surprisingly small, considering that this market may supply huge numbers of people in the Taipei City and perhaps parts of New Taipei City. It is totally not comparable to Tsukiji fish market for Tokyo which supplying tremendous kinds and amount of fish are landed and auctioned there. It is possible that the fish buyer go directly to Keelung City, the Kandaiding Fish market (Xiaoyi Rd, Ren’ai District, Keelung City, Taiwan 200), for the fish caught from northeastern Taiwan. Also the big supermarkets like Carrefour should have their own supplying channels and possibly not through the Taipei First Fish market.

Yet another worrisome feature is that the "wild caught" fish are contributed largely by the "imported fish", especially for the yellow croakers from China. It is very easy to distinguished the cultured yellow croakers from the cultured ones: the cultured ones are characterized by the high body depth, and the round and fatty belly. The cultured ones look very "big", and not as slim and thin as the wild ones which have to strive hard to survive in the harsh wild environments.


根據台灣官方的漁獲統計資料(資料庫網址: http://efish.fa.gov.tw/efish/statistics/reportmap.htm)，可以查到台灣大黃魚(Larimichthys crocea)的價格和交易量走勢。基本上在2000 ~ 2008年，除了2006年稍高外，平均全台灣每天才進一兩公斤的大黃魚。這段期間可以合理推測是少數的野生魚，也基本上代表是養殖魚是官方完全禁止的狀態。但是很奇妙的在2009年之後，台灣大黃魚的交易價格還有交易量瞬間上升，每天從一兩公斤瞬間飆高成六七百公斤，並且交易量和單位價格一直持續到2016年，變化幅度之大到我都想說他是台灣奇蹟了。為什麼這麼巧會有這分水嶺呢? 相信只有聰明人才會知道囉...

Above figure shows the unit price and amount of the yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) being auctioned in the official auction market based on the official statistics for landing and marketing (http://efish.fa.gov.tw/efish/statistics/reportmap.htm). Generally during 2000 to 2008, in average one to two kilo of yellow croaker are landed and auction per day. This means likely they are the few wild fish, and also means that there are practically no cultured yellow croakers during that period. However, it is notwithstanding that since 2009, the amount and unit price sky-rocket in an unbelievable fashion that the amount being auctioned increases from one to two kilo to 600 to 700 kilo per day. It is so fascinating that I can only attribute it to that the "miracle" has occurred. How come it can happen? I think only the smart guys, the insiders, are able to give a reason.....