When a ‘$100 million attempt’ to save Hong Kong’s marine environment kicked off with artificial reefs made of old boats, bus tyres and concrete
- Fish supplies in Hong Kong waters were severely depleted in the 1990s, a result of overfishing, pollution, and dredging and dumping for the airport projects
- Almost a decade after plans were floated to turn seized smuggling ships into artificial reefs, the first was sunk in Sai Kung; 20 artificial reefs were planned
“Artificial reefs are to be built in local waters to boost fish supplies which have been depleted by overfishing, pollution, dredging and dumping,” reported the South China Morning Post on August 17, 1994.
“The Agriculture and Fisheries Department yesterday announced it was investigating sites for the reefs and had received $1.6 million from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club to start the project.
“Reefs provide nursing and feeding grounds for all sorts of marine life including larger fish sold in local markets.
“Fisheries officer David Cook said it was hoped local stocks would be boosted and the diversity of marine life in Hong Kong would increase with the reefs. ‘We see that there’s a need to provide some level of redress for the perceived damage that’s occurring to the marine environment’, he said.
“Fishermen and environmentalists have stepped up campaigns in the past year to call attention to the destruction caused by dredging and dumping for the airport projects. Silt is stirred up that can smother corals and drive away fish. But overfishing is also a concern and Mr Cook said fishing around the reefs would be restricted.”
On January 22, 1998, the Post reported that “a $100 million attempt to save the marine environment and boost dwindling fish stocks got under way in spectacular fashion yesterday, almost a decade after the idea was conceived.