Study already under way
I refer to Geoffrey Roper's letter headlined, 'Plan change?', which appeared in the South China Morning Post, on June 10.
I wish to clarify that the Government has not previously had any plan to cease funding for independent research on the dolphins.
As a matter of fact, the Agriculture and Fisheries Department has commissioned Dr Thomas Jefferson, a cetacean expert and Research Associate of Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, to undertake a systematic and in-depth specialist study on the Indopacific humpbacked dolphins.
The study started in mid-April of this year and will take two years to complete.
To facilitate our work on dolphins, I wish to take this opportunity to again appeal to the public to promptly report sightings of stranded dolphins to us using the hotline telephone number 2377 1661.
C.C. LAY for Director of Agriculture and Fisheries
