Hong Kong authorities have proposed a new marine park in Sai Kung that will encompass most of the region's coral reefs, addressing concerns from environmental groups about the protection of ecologically sensitive areas.
The proposed marine park aims to balance conservation efforts with public use, addressing a critical need to protect Hong Kong's coral reefs from environmental threats and human activity.
Hong Kong authorities have announced plans for a new marine park in Sai Kung, designed to protect the majority of the region's coral reefs. This proposal aims to address concerns raised by environmental groups, such as Greenpeace, regarding the adequacy of protection for ecologically sensitive marine areas.
Janet Lee Ka-wai, a senior marine conservation officer with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, stated that underwater mapping technology was employed to evaluate coral coverage and pinpoint key ecological sites. She informed members of the Country and Marine Parks Board that major coral locations identified in a recent reef survey fall within the proposed boundaries of the 63-hectare marine park, situated on both the western and eastern sides of Sharp Island.
"Our proposed marine park area includes important sites with higher coral coverage," Lee said. "With reference to our scientific evidence, we believe that our proposal can protect key ecological sites and the most threatened areas while balancing the use of other users." Greenpeace had previously voiced concerns that the proposed 63-hectare area would be one of the smallest marine parks in Hong Kong and might neglect areas to its north and south.
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