The Ham Tin Wan campsite at night on 5 April All photos: AFCD
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) reported that during the Easter and Ching Ming holidays approximately 90 people were deployed daily to patrol and conduct public awareness campaigns at popular locations such as Sai Kung East Country Park and Sharp Island, as well as Lantau Island. In particular, the Sai Kung campsites and East Dam area strengthened facility cleaning and management, and additional personnel were deployed to popular campsites to remind campers of camping etiquette and rules.
The Department also continued to crack down on illegal activities; from 3 – 6 April, it carried out 18 enforcement cases in Sai Kung East Country Park, including East Dam and popular camping sites, including littering and illegal camping.
The Department also utilised drones to monitor visitor flow at the Po Pin Chau viewing platform and trails. As, the weather deteriorated on 4 April visitors to Po Pin Chau were urged to pay attention to the weather and take safety precautions. From 3 – 6 April Sai Kung East Dam averaged approximately 1,400 visitors per day.
From 4 – 6 April there were an average of approximately 180 tents per night at the Ham Tin Wan campsite and approximately 70 tents per night at the Sai Wan campsite. AFCD intensified cleaning and garbage collection at the Ham Tin Wan, Sai Wan, and Long Ke Wan campsites, reminding campers to protect the environment and abide by camping etiquette and rules. Patrols were also increased, with additional personnel deployed at night to monitor and manage the campsites. The hygiene and order at all campsites were generally good, and the situation was in line with the management plan.
Signage was also enhanced at the Sharp Island, providing educational information in Traditional and Simplified Chinese and English, marking “Coral-Friendly Routes” to remind visitors of the location of nearshore coral areas, and also specially produced waterproof snorkelling guide cards to help snorkelers refer to the location of entry and exit points.
The Department also deployed officers daily to increase patrols in the waters, landing points, coastline, beaches, and popular swimming spots around Sharp Island, depending on the situation. Acts of ecological disturbance were addressed with warnings, and visitors were reminded to adhere to the “coral-friendly route,” refraining from trampling corals and feeding or collecting marine life. Between 3 – 6 April Sharp Island received an average of approximately 580 visitors daily. A joint maritime patrol with the Marine Police and Marine Department was carried out on 6 April, during which no illegal activities were detected. During the patrols on Sharp Island, officers issued approximately 350 verbal warnings to visitors.
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