Tourists could be driven away from Aberdeen harbour unless the growing problem of floating rubbish is addressed, a sailing club has warned.
Richard Hatter, general manager of the Aberdeen Marina Club, said the club had been struggling with the problem for years and that it was getting worse.
He said the club had had at least 10 complaints a year from boat owners about the rubbish, which is believed to be generated by fishing boats in the typhoon shelter, construction sites and shipyards.
'Some boat owners say they pay a lot of money and why can't you keep the place clean. It is an ongoing battle, yet self-defeating. There is so much of it. The volume is a critical mass so great that it is an impossible task.'
Mr Hatter said the mounting rubbish problem might drive tourists away from the area and ultimately hurt the international image of Hong Kong.
'I have seen some American tourists. They were horrified by a sea of rubbish near the Jumbo Restaurant. They took pictures of it to show to their friends,' he said.
