Villagers' attempts to transform a rocky shore into a sandy beach could spell disaster for the ecology of a bay unique in the Asia-Pacific region, a leading mangrove expert has warned.
But neither the Agriculture and Fisheries Department nor the Environmental Protection Department could say what the environmental impact would be - or even whether dumping sand constituted an offence.
Mounds of sand now sit in the bay at Chek Keng village, which is surrounded by Sai Kung East Country Park, muddying the waters of Long Harbour.
Biology lecturer at the Open Learning Institute, Dr Gordon Maxwell, said: 'I am quite disgusted about the turbidity of the water - I have never seen it so bad.' Dr Maxwell, who has studied Asia's mangroves for 20 years, said Chek Keng's mangrove ecology was incomparable.
Dr Maxwell said the sand would smother the mangroves - which serve to stabilise the muddy sediment - and destabilise the shore.
Chek Keng village and the surrounding area was unique ecological site worth preserving for its recreational and educational value, he said.
