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Use of shark nets 'a matter of balancing risks'

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SHARK nets being installed at three beaches could pose a danger to other marine life, but this had to be balanced against the risk from the sharks, Jo Ruxton of the World Wide Fund for Nature said.

The 150-kilogram nets are being installed at Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Silverstrand Beach in Sai Kung and Kadoorie Beach in Tuen Mun, after two swimmers were killed by sharks in Sai Kung last summer.

But dolphins and other marine animals also frequent those areas and Ms Ruxton, a senior conservation officer, said shark nets used overseas had entangled dolphins, turtles and in one case a whale.

'I wouldn't want to say [the World Wide Fund for Nature] is against using the nets - we're not - but there is always a concern there,'' she said.

Dolphins swimming down the Pearl River have been spotted frequently feeding between north Lantau and Tuen Mun.

Other dolphins in transit from elsewhere, such as the bottlenose dolphin, have been seen around Sai Kung.

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