Whale carcass to be towed to High Island Reservoir for dissection

A whale carcass discovered in waters near Shelter Island on Monday morning will be towed to a site at High Island Reservoir West for dissection to look into the cause of its death.

Authorities’ initial investigation believed that the carcass found was the Bryde's whale that had been in waters off Sai Kung since the middle of the month.

In response to the news, Ken Ching, Chairman and Founder of Eco-Education and Resources Centre, called on authorities to introduce legislation on whale watching to protect marine life.

He said the AFCD in 1997 issued a code of conduct for dolphin watching to inform the operators and participants of the "do's and don'ts" when watching dolphins, but the relevant guidelines were not legally bound.

In light of the recent tragedy, he said authorities should reconsider introducing relevant laws to the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance to regulate the activity and prosecute those who committed the offense.

Ching said that should the guidelines be included in relevant laws, vessels navigating near the animal will be legally required to turn off their engine - the biggest risk to their safety.

He also noted that the government should take this opportunity to educate members of the public on the proper conduct of whale watching.

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