Protecting Hong Kong's marine biodiversity: present proposals, future challenges

Abstract

Pollution from many sources, over-fishing and the rapid development of Hong Kong have had powerful, adverse, impacts upon local marine life reducing it to but a shadow of what it once was. This paper describes Hong Kong's newly enacted Marine Parks Ordinance Chapter 37 1995, discusses the existing situation with regard to the designation of marine parks and reserves, and describes the special features of each one. It argues that a territory-wide strategy will have to be implemented if representative intertidal and coastal water communities are to survive. Coastal zone planning and management need to be among the Hong Kong Government's highest priorities because there are indications that the marine parks and reserves will not be successful. The threats to them are too great. Conservation legislation and coastal planning exercises should also be integrated with those of China as soon as possible, especially for areas of coastline surrounding Hong Kong. This is because development within southern China is proceeding at such a pace that Hong Kong's protected areas are now being threatened by external factors as well as internal ones.