My name is Lin Meiyan, also known by my nature name “Crab,” and I am the person in charge of Beigang Youth Entrepreneurship (Beigang Qingchuang). In 2014, I married into this isolated island located along the northeastern coast of Meilan District, Haikou City, Hainan Province, and since then, I have forged an indissoluble bond with Beigang Island’s tidal flats and the sound of waves. Four hundred years ago, Beigang Island narrowly survived the Qiongbei Earthquake; today, adjacent to a national nature reserve, every inch of the coastal wetland’s texture and every echo of the waves crashing against the shore hold the deepening sincerity I have nurtured for this land over the past decade.

Witnessing the changes on Beigang Island over the years, my resolve to safeguard its ecological treasures and the roots of fishing culture has grown increasingly firm. Thus, I joined hands with several like-minded young people from the village to establish Beigang Youth Entrepreneurship Company, adhering to the original aspiration of “Whale of a Surprise on Beigang Island: Safeguarding Horseshoe Crabs and Ecological Beauty.” We have been deeply committed to the path of ecological protection and value conversion, leveraging the island’s unique ecological resources and centuries-old fishing culture to develop market-oriented eco-tourism services. This effort turns “lush mountains and clear waters” into tangible “gold and silver mountains,” exploring a sustainable path for converting ecological products into economic value.

The beauty of Beigang Island lies in the morning light over the wetlands, hides in the fishermen’s fishing nets, and reflects in the traditions passed down from generation to generation. Here, I sincerely call on more people to: protect the cultural roots of their hometowns, cherish the ecological resources around them, and let this island, which has weathered centuries of storms, forever radiate “whale-like surprises” and vitality under our joint care.