養殖漁業是東亞的重要傳統產業，約可區分為魚塭（Brackish water ponds）與魚塘（Freshwater ponds）兩種形態。臺灣約自明鄭以降，陸續引入魚塭、魚塘養殖活動，成為兩種養殖漁業的交會地區。本文主旨即以清代為時間斷限，透過此兩種不同形態之養殖漁業的比較，檢視其在臺灣發展上的優、劣勢，並進一步突顯養殖漁業，尤其是以飼養虱目魚為主的魚塭養殖，在清代臺灣經濟與社會發展過程中的重要性及其特質。 　　本文指出，魚塘養殖活動雖在中國華南地區十分盛行且高度商品化，但引入臺灣後受到魚苗取得不易，以及魚塘必須仰賴雨水補充水源等條件的制約，使得養殖活動往往依附在水稻農業生態體系之下，缺少獨立發展的空間，無法形成高度商品化的生產形態，直到清末甚至日治時期，大多處於副業的狀態。相對於此，魚塭養殖雖局限於臺灣西南部沿海，卻是此一惡劣又多變之沿海環境中的一個最適化的土地利用方式，魚苗來源充足，其生產的虱目魚也恰當地嵌入當地居民的消費生活秩序中，滿足臺灣最大的消費市場——臺灣府城的需求，使得養殖活動具備了商品化的條件，發展成為臺灣西部沿海重要的產業。又因為魚塭的經營成本高、風險大，也因此塑造出資本化與專業化的特性。尤其在道光年間（1821-1850）以後，隨著大量浮復地的形成，臺灣府城的富商積極投入資本從事魚塭的開發，或是招佃養魚或是合股經營魚塭事業，更強化此一資本化與專業化的性格。本文認為魚塭養殖可以在清中葉以後迅速擴大產業規模，並深化其對臺灣西部沿海社會與經濟的影響，實為此資本化與專業化進一步發展的結果。

Aquaculture is an important traditional industry in East Asia. Both brackish water ponds and freshwater ponds were introduced to Taiwan in the second half of the 17th century. Through comparing and analyzing the development of brackish water and freshwater aquaculture in Qing Taiwan, this essay highlights the significance of aquaculture, particularly milkfish aquaculture, in the economic and social development of Taiwan. While freshwater aquaculture had been very popular and highly commercialized in southern China, its initial development in Taiwan was hampered by the need to import fish fry from China. Moreover, reliance on rainwater for pond replenishment also restricted independent growth of freshwater aquaculture, causing it to be attached to the ecosystem of paddy rice cultivation. Hence, freshwater aquaculture could only remain an income-earning sideline of Taiwanese farmers and could hardly be commercialized throughout Qing dynasty. By contrast, brackish water aquaculture, though restricted to the southwest coastal area of Taiwan, was the best land-use practice in the tough environment of salty soil. In addition to sufficient provision of fish fry, its product, milkfish, was deeply embedded in the daily consumption of local inhabitants, fitting the needs of Tainan, the then largest consumption market in Taiwan. In this context, brackish water aquaculture developed as the most important industry in western Taiwan. More importantly, the high cost, great risk, and huge commercial interests involved made brackish water aquaculture a highly capitalized and professionalized business. In particular, during the early 19th century, with the formation of new lands around the western coastal area of Taiwan, many local Tainan entrepreneurs invested in the exploitation of brackish water ponds in these new lands, strengthening the capitalization and professionalization in this business. This essay suggests that these two characteristics of brackish water aquaculture led not only to rapid expansion of brackish water aquaculture after mid-Qing dynasty, but also brought significant impact on the economic and social development of western coastal Taiwan.

魚塭;魚塘;養殖漁業;虱目魚;虱目魚產業;資本化;專業化

Brackish Water Ponds; Freshwater Ponds; Aquaculture; Milkfish (Chanos chanos); Milkfish industry; Capitalization; Professionalization