WWF proposes making Port Shelter a marine protected area after death of whale

^{AFCD remove the whale carcass and take it to High Island for necropsy}

Most Hongkongers, especially Sai Kungers, were devastated at the death of the Bryde’s whale first spotted off Sai Kung on 14 July, reported injured on 26 July, and dead on 31 July. Lydia Pang, Acting Director of Marine Conservation of WWF-Hong Kong, said in a radio interview today (2/7) that the death of the whale reflects that there is room for improvement in the handling methods of various government departments, and suggested that the government should designate Port Shelter, Sai Kung, where the whale was sighted, be designated as a protected area to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

^{Lydia Pang, Acting Director of Marine Conservation of WWF-Hong Kong}

Pang said that it is very rare for a whale appears in Port Shelter, but if there is a protected area in Hong Kong waters, the speed limit for ships entering is generally conducive to the habitat of marine life. Pang also pointed out that currently only 5% of Hong Kong’s waters have been designated or proposed as marine protected areas, saying that “40% of country parks are protected!”.

^{The remains of the whale being moved by AFCD}

Pang continued that the government can regulate the operation of boats based on foreign experience. She gave an example that the Australian government regulates jet skis on the Great Barrier Reef, requiring them to keep a distance of 300 metres from cetaceans and dolphins. When asked whether the government should refer to the Shenzhen government’s earlier measures such as setting up a “temporary control zone” for whales that strayed into the waters by mistake, she said that there have been whales in the waters of Victoria Harbour in the past, and that the authorities should consider it carefully. She thinks that the SAR government can take this opportunity to review dolphin-watching and, with regulation, encourage more interest in marine tourism.

The body was taken to the West Dam of the High Island Reservoir as experts from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Ocean Park Conservation Fund began the necropsy yesterday (1/7).