Many Hong Kong people might not be surprised to learn that 60% of Hong Kong’s area is covered by water, but ask anyone in the street and they might assume that Hong Kong underwater is simply a murky pile of rubbish.  Indeed, it is difficult to convince people that Hong Kong has any valuable marine resources worth saving unless they can see it for themselves.  

• hosts at least 84 species of hard corals – more than the entire Caribbean sea;
• has over 350 species of reef fish residing in its local coral areas, not to mention the hundreds of species of pelagic visitors (from the open sea) such as whale sharks and tuna, plus green turtles, dolphins, whales, as well as invertebrates from crabs and lobsters to anemones, sea urchins, star fish and soft corals – a very diverse marine environment;
• has established several marine parks and coral protection zones, but only 0.01% of Hong Kong’s seas are fully protected from any fishing (“No Take Zone”);
• permits destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling to continue;
• seafood consumption patterns contribute to decimate not only the local marine environment, but also impact countries all across the region.

By late afternoon, we played some quiz games to test their new knowledge about Hong Kong’s Marine Environment and Conservation situation with prizes for correct answers.  Participants not only enjoyed a fun-filled day exploring the underwater world, they also expanded their knowledge about the 60% of Hong Kong that few get to see.  Please check our webpage or facebook page for more photos from the event.

• 原來有最少84種石珊瑚，比整個加勒比海的種類還要多；
• 有超過350種珊瑚礁魚住在珊瑚區，還有幾百種遠洋訪客，如鯨鯊、吞拿魚、綠海龜、海豚、鯨魚，及無脊椎生物如蟹、龍蝦、海葵、海膽、海星及軟珊瑚等，多姿多采；
• 設立了幾個海岸公園和珊瑚保護區，但卻只有0.01%的香港海洋完全禁止捕漁；
• 仍然容許拖網這類破壞性捕魚行為；
• 食用海鮮的習慣不僅令本地海洋生態大受影響，連區內其他國家的環境也飽受摧殘；