According to environmentalists the average weight of a fish in Hong Kong’s waters is 10 grams or less. It is said that the city could be surrounded with its own coral gardens and functioning fisheries. New fishing season resumes after a two-month moratorium ended yesterday, but Hong Kong is still awaiting the release of a government fisheries report that was due out last December.
Markus Shaw, president of WWF Hong Kong, contrasted the government’s neglect of the marine environment with its HK$5 billion investment in Ocean Park, “a theme park dedicated to the ocean”. He also told that they are importing marine creatures from all over the world. He added that the authority has created a fantastic coral-reef aquarium up there. And yet their own seas are dead.
Shaw explained that a government advisory committee should release a final report about how the city should deal with the destruction of its fisheries. He told that the report by the Committee on Sustainable Fisheries – a draft of which was completed last September – contained some good ideas to help renew Hong Kong’s fisheries, but there was concern that financing issues were behind delays in publishing the report.
Shaw said those plans – along with retraining fisherman – could have “a major impact” on Hong Kong’s fish population in just five years. An Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department spokesman said the committee was still drafting the report and planned to submit it to the government for consideration this year.
