| Geographical
Notes of the site: |
| Site |
: |
Mai Po Inner Deep Bay |
| Designation Date |
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4 September 1995 |
| Coordinates |
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22°30'114°02'E |
| Elevation |
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0 m from sea level |
| Area |
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1540 ha. |
| Location |
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On the northwest of the New Territories
of Hong Kong |
Hydrological/Physical Notes of the site:
The Ramsar Site is a natural shallow estuarine bay lying within the Yuen
Long Basin. The average water depth is about 2.9 m and the mean tidal
range is 1.4m. Inner Deep Bay receives water and sediments from both Hong
Kong and Shenzhen. The sediment forming the core part of the intertidal
mudflat is predominantly clay and silt.
The climate of Hong Kong is sub-tropical and under the strong influence
of monsoons. Rainfall occurs mainly from April to September. Salinity
of the intertidal water shows a clear trend dependent on the seasonality.
During the wet season from late spring to summer, salinity drop and sometimes
almost freshwater due to the increase in rainfall, the values tend to
increase from late summer and approach highest in winter/early spring
during the dry season.
The site helps to alleviate flood problems in the northwest of the territory
and the mangal are of value in stabilizing the shore of the bay.
Ecological Notes:
Wetland Types:
A shallow bay with extensive intertidal mudflats backed by mangal, tidal
shrimp ponds (gei wais), fishponds, and reedbed (Phragmites
australis) in some gei wais and along the coast.
Mangroves:
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The major species of mangroves are:
- Kandelia obovata
- Avicennia marina
- Aegiceras corniculatum
- Bruguiera gymnorhiza
- Excoecaria agallocha
- Acrostichum auerum
The major mangrove associate is:
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Waterfowls:
| The Ramsar Site supports a high diversity
of birds. About 300 species, representing about 70% of the Hong Kong
birds, have been recorded there. The Site regularly supports over
100, 000 waterbirds for the whole year and some 50,000 waterbirds
in mid-winter. It is an important feeding and resting ground for wintering
and migratory birds, including a number of globally threatened species
(e.g. Black-faced Spoonbill, Saunders's Gull and Imperial Eagle).
In January 2005, about 61,000 waterbirds are recorded. |
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Land ownership and uses of the Site:
- The majority of the site is government land, but most fishponds
have been leased or licenced to operators engaged in fish farming.
This is the only place in Hong Kong where gei wais (intertidal
shrimp ponds) are in operation.
- Main activities at the site are nature conservation, scientific
research, nature education and ecotourism, bird watching and nature
appreciation, fish farming, and small-scale rural settlement.
- In the surroundings, there are brackish/freshwater fishponds,
open storage, and residential area. The Hong Kong Wetland Park
(HKWP) located at the northern part of Tin Shui Wai adjacent to
the Ramsar site is a 64 hectares nature-based theme park. The
HKWP project upgrades the originally intended ecological mitigation
area into a conservation, education and eco-tourism facility for
local residents and overseas visitors. The Phase 1 of the Park
has been operational since 2000 and the whole project is scheduled
for completion in early 2006.
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