The Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation (AFCD) has announced the designation of the North Lantau Marine Park (NLMP). This is going to be the eighth and largest marine park in Hong Kong covering around 2,400 hectares of water. Consequently, it will enlarge the protected marine area in the city from 6,117 hectares to 8,517 hectares.
Linking with the Sha Chau, Lung Kwu Chau, and the Brothers Marine Park, the new marine park is forming a matrix of connected marine protected areas. Together, they protect around 4,570 hectares of North Lantau waters to provide a safe habitat for the Chinese White Dolphins, which have been listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and as “Grade 1 National Key Protected Species” in the Mainland.
Extending to a greater area, the marine park will be contiguous with the Pearl River Estuary Chinese White Dolphin National Nature Reserve established in Guangdong Province, acting as a link for protected marine areas between Hong Kong and the Mainland. This will also facilitate the movement of the dolphins between such habitats.
The North Lantau Marine Park also alleviates the destruction of marine ecology. By forming an interlinked water body and providing a synergistic effect, the ecological impact of the Three-Runway System project of the Hong Kong International Airport could be eased. Thus, the marine ecology and fisheries resources in the areas will receive better conservation.
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Images: Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department
This article first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong
