Dead dolphins have been a feature of north and west Lantau waters for many years but recently the frequency of mortalities has reached a tipping point.
Samuel Hung Ka-yiu, chairman of the Dolphin Conservation Society, and those at Dolphinwatch were merely watching a crescendo of events that I and Jo Ruxton (ex-WWF HK marine conservation officer) predicted in 1990 as part of the white paper reviews for the new airport.
After numerous visits to known dolphin areas, where we identified three independent pods - Peaked Hill, Chek Lap Kok and what is now the foreshore of Sunny Bay MTR - we witnessed all three pod groups interacting with juveniles at the East Brothers Island.
It was established this was a communal feeding and nurturing ground that extended north towards Castle Peak.
Young dolphins were often observed being encouraged to forage up to the high water mark, mostly for crabs and mud skippers.
Recommendations through the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and prior to the handover in 1997, included the creation of a dedicated marine park and a traffic density and speed regulated traffic separation zone in the North Lantau waterway.
