Environmentalists want a ban on dolphin watching in a proposed sanctuary and warn that wildlife cruises could have contributed to the recent spate of deaths.
Commercial operators, private day-trippers, trips organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and research vessels all add to the pressure on the endangered Chinese White Dolphins, environmentalists agree.
But the Hong Kong Marine Conservation Society chairman, Dr Brian Darvell, has gone one step further and advised people to boycott dolphin watching trips because unscrupulous boat operators were endangering dolphins.
He said: 'Boat trips to go and see the dolphins puts added pressure and stress on these animals. They chase dolphins - some of the drivers are not alert enough, they are driving right over the animals. The fact that we have four dead calves is very worrying and there is the suspicion they are dying in boat drives.' Eight dolphins have been found dead this year and Dr Darvell said ideally dolphin watching should be banned in the 12-square-kilometre sanctuary around Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau, north of Lantau.
Dolphin researcher Lindsay Porter said: 'The bottom line is these are endangered animals. You have to be very, very careful but there are commercial operators out there who are not being very careful.' But Bill Leverett of Hong Kong Dolphinwatch said it would be unfair to ban dolphin trips when commercial fishing and high-speed vessels would be allowed in the sanctuary. 'As soon as we see dolphins we slow down and stop. We have never gone over a dolphin to my knowledge.' WWF, which runs special dolphin-watching trips, follows the wildlife cruise code, which recommends slowing down on sighting dolphins and limiting boat time in favourite feeding areas.
Fat Tat Hong managing director Albert Cheung Yau-kwong said his tours slowed down from eight to three knots around Lung Kwu Chau and Sha Chau.
