Hong Kong diver, 66, wages marine war against ocean’s silent killers – ghost nets
- Harry Chan wants to raise public awareness for his cause to rid the city’s waters of abandoned fishing gear that can ensnare marine life and humans
At 66, Hong Kong diver Harry Chan Tin-ming could be seeking a serene life after retirement. But instead, he is fighting a war against what he calls the oceans’ silent killers – ghost nets, or abandoned fishing gear that trap marine life.
About twice a month, Chan, a hearty, grizzled man with an energy that belies his years, dons his dive suit and dips down into the waters, hunting for nets that endanger not only animals but humans.
With 30 years of diving experience under his belt, Chan intends to raise public awareness of the impact of ghost nets, and inspire more people to join his cause.
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The ghost net hunter: a Hong Kong diver’s quest to rid the oceans of a deadly killer
“If others see me cleaning the ocean, they would probably think: ‘An old guy can do it, why can’t we?’” he says.
Hong Kong is home to a wide diversity of marine life, with some 6,000 species living in its waters, according to conservation body WWF Hong Kong. The number of native marine species per unit area is several hundred times higher than in many other parts of the world.
However, marine litter is a constant blight on all this.
