Penghu: The sea in a southern coastal area of Penghu took on a faint red color as the tiny eggs of coral reefs were released, according to one of the island county’s townships.

According to Focus Taiwan, in a post on its Facebook page, the Cimei Township Office said it received word about the spawning event near Woniu Bay on Cimei’s southernmost tip from a guesthouse operator. The release of coral eggs was the first recorded in Penghu this year and was relatively small in scale. The office added that it expected the phenomenon to peak around Mother’s Day on May 11.

In a separate statement, the Penghu Fishery Research Center mentioned that after learning of the event, it hired a local scuba diver to take samples of the eggs for research purposes. Coral spawning is a seasonal event in Penghu, which typically coincides with the birthday of the sea goddess Mazu, on the 23rd day of the third month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

Coral spawning events in Penghu can also be observed near Qingwan Lovers’ Beach and Chongguang Fishing Harbor in Magong City, near Zhuwan Fishing Harbor in Xiyi Township, and in various parts of Cimei Township. Cimei Township is the southernmost island in the Penghu Archipelago, with an area of around 7 square kilometers and a population of just under 3,900.