A Review of the 35-Year History of the Taiwan Fish Database

A Review of the 35-Year History of the Taiwan Fish Database

The ''Taiwan Fish Database'' (http://fishdb.sinica.edu.tw) is arguably the earliest and most popular biodiversity database in Taiwan. Established around 1990 by the Fish Ecology and Evolution Laboratory of the Institute of Zoology at Academia Sinica, it has a history spanning more than 35 years. The database originally began by collecting and organizing the most recent species names and geographic distribution of fish in Taiwan, and later expanded to include specimen collections, species descriptions, bibliographies, and other academic content. In 1998, with support from the ''Taiwan Research Networking Project'' at Academia Sinica, it began to take on a more public outreach focus. Starting in 2001, it received project support from the National Science Council's National Digital Archives Program, allowing for rapid improvements in content and information technology and making it a key partner of the global FishBase. Due to its comprehensive, authoritative, and fully open-access content, it has been highly valued and recognized by both domestic and international academia. In 2011, it became a Regular Member of the World Data System (WDS). However, due to security issues and aging systems, the database was taken over in 2016 by the Academia Sinica Center for Digital Cultures (ASCDC) for continued management and updates. The original database was split into two sub-websites: ''Taiwan Fish Database'' (focused on academic research) and ''Fish Knowledge+'' (aimed at public education). After the 2024 update, a new version was launched with an expanded species list of nearly 3,500 species. The old version of the site remains available for users who are accustomed to it, but it is no longer updated. This article provides an overview of the database's origins, its development into an international resource, the importance of open-access data, and future directions for continued progress.