Shark net for filthy beaches
ABOUT $20 million will be spent on installing shark nets at some of the territory's most polluted beaches, where no sharks have ever been sighted.
The Regional Council is inviting tenders for the fitting and operating of nets at 10 sites by April, including New Cafeteria Beach at Tuen Mun - on one of the filthiest coastlines in Hong Kong.
'Though no sharks have been spotted at these beaches, we want to be on the safe side and follow the Urban Council's example to set up as many nets as possible,' said Lam Wing-yin, vice-chairman of the Regional Council's Committee on Shark Prevention.
But swimmers at three of the 10 designated beaches may have more to fear from the water than from the marine predators.
Mui Wo's Silvermine Bay beach and Tuen Mun's New Cafeteria and Golden Beaches are consistently rated 'poor' or 'very poor' by the Environmental Protection Department.
But despite the warnings, more than 700,000 people visited Golden Beach this year, while New Cafeteria saw 140,000. Silvermine Bay had 13,000.
Each shark net costs more than $1 million to set up and averages $1 million in annual repairs.
