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Clifford Lo

Harminder Singh

The government reopened a Hong Kong beach on Friday some 24 hours after a small shark caused a big fuss when it washed ashore.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced on Friday afternoon that Butterfly Beach in Tuen Mun would be open to the public as usual. Authorities had hoisted a warning flag at the beach after a shark was spotted at about 11.30am Thursday.
Swimmers had been urged to stay out of the water.

A department spokesman said an inspection of the shark net protecting the beach showed it was in good condition. He added that no big fish had been detected inside the beach’s enclosed area.
Marine police and the Government Flying Service also completed their search of nearby waters and reported no shark sightings.
The shark found on Thursday was initially described as measuring 40cm long, but authorities later said it was 60cm.
Police said the shark was dead when found, but an LCSD spokesman said it was alive and died later.

A Government Flying Service helicopter and marine ­police boats were deployed to search for other sharks in the area, but there was no sighting.
The spokesman said the shark net for the beach was inspected and found to be intact. He added it was possible the shark came ashore during high tide. Nearby beaches were not affected.
The shark was handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, whose spokeswoman identified it as Scoliodon macrorhynchos, a small species of migratory shark. Its maximum length is between 63.6 and 70.7 centimetres.
The chances of being attacked by a shark are lower than being struck by lightning
Sharon Kwok Sau-wan, marine conservationist
She said this shark would not attack unless provoked. Ocean Park took it for an autopsy.
The LCSD said a red flag had been “hoisted at Butterfly Beach in Tuen Mun district for the sake of safety”. It added: “Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.”
Lifeguards on Thursday conducted regular patrols along the beach and in the water.
Audio warnings reminded people of a “suspected big fish” in the water and advised them not to go in. Despite the written and audio announcements and the beach being cordoned off, some ignored the warnings and continued swimming.
Others seemed oblivious to any possibility of danger.
“I didn’t know,” one woman said while standing in the water. “I didn’t see [the signs].” She quickly got out after the Post spoke to her.
Another beachgoer expressed surprise at the fuss, saying he had not read the news.
Sharon Kwok Sau-wan, executive director of conservation group Aquameridian, reminded the public that local shark attacks were extremely rare and no “extra concern” was warranted.

“There are more than 400 species of sharks and only a handful will attack humans,” she said. “The shark species that have been known to attack [humans] rarely frequent Hong Kong. The chances of anyone being attacked by a shark are lower than being struck by lightning.”
Dr Andy Cornish, a shark expert with conservation group World Wildlife Fund, said the shark found on Thursday was common to Hong Kong waters. He said LCSD was being pragmatic in closing the beach and that local beaches were usually closed for any variety of shark except whale and bamboo sharks.
Two metre-long shark spotted in Silvermine Bay on Lantau South
Cornish said the discovery did not mean a much larger shark would be in the vicinity and that, if one were found, it was probably migrating elsewhere.
He added sharks did not tend to beach themselves and suggested the one discovered in Tuen Mun was likely sick or dying.
Also Thursday, the carcass of a male Chinese white dolphin was found on a beach in Sham Tseng in Tsuen Wan district. An AFCD spokeswoman said the department was alerted to the discovery at 11am.
The dolphin measured 2.1 metres and was also sent to Ocean Park for an autopsy.


Hong Kong beach reopened day after closure over shark discovery

Butterfly Beach in Tuen Mun was cordoned off, but some people still went swimming. Photo: Felix Wong

The notice posted on the beach. Photo: SCMP Pictures

The beach is in Tuen Mun in the New Territories. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Staffs from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department(LCSD) show the media the shark. Butterfly Beach in Tuen Mun was closed after a shark was washed to the beach. 23JUN16 SCMP/ Felix Wong

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Swimmers welcome again as authorities announce no more big fish found nearby
