Diving in Sai Kung Issue & Gap Analysis

Diving in Sai KungIssue & Gap Analysis Andries Temme Susan Voelkl

Content • Former Knowledge Gaps • Problems (Baseline Conditions) • Concerns Stakeholder • Benchmarking against other models • Alternatives/Suggestions • Issues & Difficulties

Former Knowledge Gaps • Artificial Reefs in Hong Kong • Boat Pollution (waste practices) • Influence of NGOs, NPOs • Statistics • Equipment Supplier

Artificial Reefs in HK - Purposes • Enhance Marine resources • Fisheries enhancement purposes • Attracting & Supporting large populations of fish • Feeding opportunities for fish • Rehabilitate degraded habitats • Protect spawning and nursery grounds and MPAs (trawlers) • Enhance habitat quality in open seabed areas – provide complex, hard surface habitat

ARs in HK - Locations

ARs in HK – Port Shelter

ARs in HK - Background • July 1995: HK Government announced HK$108 million AR Project • 1996: AR division within AFCD • 168,700m² of ARs in HK • Deployment of vessels, concrete, quarry rock, and tyre reefs

ARs in HK - Studies • Combination of ARs & „no take“ fisheries protection areas -> significant ecological & economic benefits • Benefits of „no take“ zones outweigh AR • Trawl ban would lead to gains in biomass, benefits to remaining fishing sectors, long-term economic gains • … planned that AR deployment area at Outer Port Shelter will form part of future FPAs & will be managed as "no-take" area where no fishing activities will be permitted …

Boat Pollution • Illegal fuel (mainland) • Common practice • Suntan, shampoo, shower gel • “We tell our customers not to use it – but sometimes it happens” • Toilets • Most small boats don’t have a toilet on board • Waste practices on board • “We tell our customers not to throw anything over board.....”

Boat Pollution • Disposal of waste • Diving boats: Facilities at Sai Kung harbour • Local fisher man: ocean • Junk Boats: ocean • Noise pollution • Sound travels 4 times faster in water (1,230 m/sec) than in air (340 m/sec) • Military sonar, ships, oil exploration & drilling, offshore construction, motor boats, jet skis … • Disrupting and/or killing whales, dolphins, and other marine life • Longterm effects are NOT known

Influence of NGOs / NPOs • Groups that collaborate with Government • WWF • Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society • No direct influence but • Raising awareness • Marker Buoys • Reefcheck • Since 1997 (carried out by WWF) • Government since 2000 • WWF: Government could do much more

Statistics • 29 – 32 diving agencies in Hong Kong • Not all are members of the HKUA • 3 big companies • Employees • Big agencies ~ 10 employees • Small agencies ~ 5 employees • Mainly part-time (instructors) • ~ 173 employees • Boats • ~ 30 diving boats are leaving the harbor of SK on a typical Sunday • Not all companies have their own boats

Equipment Suppliers • The good guys and the bad guys...... • Cheap agencies in Kowloon • Mainly from China • The ones that like to live • Mainly from Thailand & US (special parts from Italy) • No special ties

Problems • Boat Pollution • Suntan • Waste (toilet, food) • Fecal bacteria have negative influence on coral and fish growth • Noise • Overland Pollution • Public transport • Anchoring • Scares away fish and damages coral • Retrieval can cause large chunk of coral to be broken

Problems • Disturbance • Touching and Breaking of Coral • Beginner Courses – Buoyancy • Oil and bacteria from skin harms corals • Breaking can lead to infection at wound site • Raising of sediment from the seafloor • Reduces photossynthesis of zooxathelae • Physical presence • Even though divers are very careful, statistics dictate that as more divers dive disturbances will increase

Concerns Stakeholder • Diving Community • Overfishing & Trawling • Anchoring • Recreational activities (Junk boats, Jet Ski) • Pollution, Safety • Low-price agencies in Kowloon • Price dumping / safety issues • AFCD • Raising awareness (protection of corals, anchoring, beginner courses...) • Overfishing / fishing practices / trawling • But limited activities.... • Disturbance of underwater life

Concerns Stakeholder • Environmental groups • WWF: SOS Campaign (next slide) • Overfishing / Fishing practices / Trawling • Healthy Marinelife, great biodiversity • Responsible waste disposal • Disappointment with government • Sai Kung residents • Amount of divers, traffic (limited concern...) • Money flow into SK / Income • Boats, Restaurants

WWF - SOS Campaign • AFCD 2004: seeking 3 changes to Fisheries Protection Ordinance • WWF: That’s not enough • Fishing Licence Scheme • Commercial fishing  licence (outside MPAs) • WWF: Recreational fishing should also be covered • Fisheries Protection Areas • Port Shelter, Tolo Harbour and Channel • Bottom Trawling banned, other commercial fishing types allowed with permit (except AR) • WWF: FPAs should be no-take zones (no fishing all year round) – all Marine Parks, Port Shelter, Tolo Harbour and Channel, Long Harbour. Network of no-take zones. Also recreational fishing banned.

Alternatives/Suggestions • Governmental restrictions • Toilets • Boats that accomodate > than x people  toilet • Annually Boat Check • Clean propeller, well tuned engines that are insulated from hull (noise pollution) • Quotas for certain spots during summer time • Carrying capacity, Corals need to rest (Port Shelter) • Stronger control • Fuel use (illegal fuel) • Disposal at SK harbour

Alternatives/Suggestions • MPAs or better No take zones • No or only licenced fishing • No anchoring • No trawling • Education • Why does Anchoring harm corals... • Suntan, Shampoo, Shower gel • Beginner courses on sandy bottom • Carrying capacity of Corals • Waste disposal Sai Kung – boats

Benchmarking against other models • Israel – Eilat • Coral reserve • No trawling • No taking of corrals • Small patchy reef areas, similar in size to HK • >250 000 divers per year on all sites • High use sites show a decrease in coral cover • Carrying capacity at current types of use around 25,000 per year • Can be increased

Benchmarking against other models • Thailand marine parks • Fishing is allowed • No trawling • No explosives • Not allowed to take any “animals” out of MP • Environmental and physical carrying capacity reached • Congestion • Loss of marine life • Tourism important income • No quotas (e.g. for diving)

Issues & Difficulties • Diving is no real problem in HK • Carrying capacity (except Port Shelter) • More harmful: Junk boats, waste, overfishing, trawling... • Government • Contradictionary role (restrictions might seem ridiculous to the diving community) • Fishermen • Community against MPAs and No Take Zones • Government: provide training, new jobs... • Junk Boat trips / Recreational activities • Will still go on

References • Interviews with: * Bunn’s Diving Center* Prodive Diving Center* Splash Diving Center* AFCD* WWF • http://dmoz.org/Recreation/Outdoors/Scuba_Diving/Underwater_Life/ • http://www.padi.com/padi/common/dcnr1/results.aspx?country=HGKG • http://www.dive-centers.net/diving-hong_kong-33.html • http://oceanlink.island.net/oceanmatters/noise%20pollution.html • http://see-the-sea.org/topics/pollution/noise/noise_pollution.html • http://www.americanboating.org/clean.asp#How%20to%20Be%20a%20Clean%20Boater • http://www.wwf.org.hk/eng/conservation/sos/index.php • http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_cou/cou_vis_cou.html • http://www.artificial-reef.net/ • http://www.forest.go.th/nrco/english/mnpd.htm#Management

Thx for your attention!!

Diving in Sai Kung Issue & Gap Analysis