AFCD presses ahead with Sharp Island Marine Park designation to protect corals

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) highlighted that it is forging ahead with the designation of Sharp Island Marine Park to protect key coral communities on the eastern and western sides of Sharp Island during the "Corals of Hope" planting ceremony.

During the ceremony at Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park on Monday, the AFCD joined hands with various sectors of the community to transplant 30 laboratory-bred corals into the park's waters, which offer an ideal habitat for their growth.

Officiating at the event, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan described coral communities as one of Hong Kong's most prized natural assets.

He noted that over the three decades since Hong Kong established its first marine parks and marine reserve, the protected zones have not only shielded sensitive marine habitats, but have also served as essential hubs for scientific research and public education.

Tse added that the planting ceremony reflects years of close collaboration among the government, academic institutions, community sectors, and partner organizations across Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

He emphasized that authorities will continue working toward targets set out in the government's five-year plan, methodically expanding the network of marine protected areas to conserve and restore critical habitats and species while bolstering biodiversity across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Hong Kong is home to more than 80 recorded species of hard corals—accounting for roughly one-tenth of the world's total—giving local waters exceptionally high ecological value.

Since the first batch of marine parks and a marine reserve were designated in 1996, the city's network has grown to eight marine parks and one marine reserve covering 8,517 hectares, protecting diverse marine habitats and vulnerable coral communities.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓