Hong Kong Authorities Allay Green Group's Concerns Over Sharp Island Marine Park

A planned marine park in waters surrounding Sharp Island in Sai Kung will cover most coral reefs, Hong Kong authorities have said, allaying a green group’s concerns about insufficient protection of ecologically sensitive areas.

Janet Lee Ka-wai, senior marine conservation officer at the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, also said on Wednesday that underwater mapping technology had been used to assess coral coverage and identify ecological sites.

Major coral spots identified in the city’s reef survey last year fall within the proposed marine park boundary, Lee said as she briefed members of the Country and Marine Parks Board, a consultative body, on details of the proposed 63-hectare marine park on the western and eastern sides of Sharp Island in Sai Kung.

The island is a popular attraction in the city’s Unesco Global Geopark.

“Our proposed marine park area includes important sites with higher coral coverage,” she 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.”

Environmental group Greenpeace earlier said the proposed marine park neglected areas to its north and south, noting that the 63 hectares would make it one of the smallest among Hong Kong’s eight existing marine parks.