Port Shelter Photo: Wikipedia
Marine conservation organisations, including WWF Hong Kong, Hong Kong Marine Conservation Alliance and Living Seas Hong Kong are calling for Sai Kung’s Port Shelter to be classified as a marine protected area.
The group pointed out that the current protected waters in Hong Kong account for 3.7% of the total water area in Hong Kong. Together with the North Lantau Marine Park, which is expected to complete the legal designation process in 2024, if Port Shelter is successfully classified as a marine reserve, Hong Kong’s protected waters will increase to 6.7%.
Kelvin So Jun-yin, oceans conservation manager at WWF-Hong Kong, said the area has unique ecological value, as evidenced by people engaging in recreational activities like scuba diving and kayaking. So said waters near Sharp Island and other Port Shelter islands are home to 46 of 84 hard coral species and at least 169 marine fish species.
The carcass of a Bryde’s whale was found in Port Shelter in July 2023. The Hong Kong Marine Conservation Alliance pointed out that there are many precious species in Port Shelter, and the coral coverage rate of nearby Sharp Island reaches 65%. However, because Port Shelter is close to Sai Kung, it is a hotspot for water sports, posing a threat to marine ecology.
So said: “This is because stony corals can be found in relatively shallow water, usually about half a metre to two metres. When citizens go snorkelling and diving, because the water is very shallow and difficult to control the buoyancy it is easy to kick the corals.”
The Alliance recommended that the approximately 2,500 hectares of sea area be listed as a marine protected area, and also called on the public to avoid the Port Shelter area when engaging in water activities to avoid damaging the coastal coral ecology.
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