Press Releases
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Artificial reefs deployment at Yan Chau Tong Marine Park Concrete structures and quarry rocks are deployed as artificial reefs (ARs) at Yan Chau Tong Marine Park as a continue effort of the Agriculture and Fisheries Department (AFD) to restore and enhance fisheries resources in Hong Kong. Speaking on the emplacement today (Monday), AFD Senior Fisheries Officer, Mr Keith Wilson, said: "These concrete units are the final set of ARs to be deployed under stage one of a two-phase deployment programme." The deployment, commenced in early July for completion by the end of this month, involves 131 concrete modules and eight piles of quarry rocks. Mr Wilson said two sites, Shau Kei Pai and Wu Yeung Chau Pai, in Yan Chau Tong Marine Park were selected for deploying ARs. In Shau Kei Pai, fifteen groups of ARs will be deployed. The concrete AR units, in four basic designs, and quarry rock piles are sunk in triplicate of about 40 metres apart. In Wu Yeung Chau Pai, box-unit concrete ARs are deployed at different spacing of five, 10 and 15 metres apart. "This special arrangement will help comparing the effectiveness of different ARs in aggregating fish and enhancing faunal diversity. "It will also facilitate the study of the optimal distances between ARs," he said. The 4,700 cubic metres of concrete modules and 3,700 cubic metres of quarry rocks are sited in shallower water when compared to the redundant vessels and tyres sank as ARs last year. Mr Wilson considered it would be likely that hard corals would colonize these new AR structures. AFD will continue to conduct surveys to assess the performances of ARs in enhancing fisheries resources. The AR deployment programme is scheduled to be implemented in two phases. The second phase will involve deploying ARs outside existing marine parks. AFD is now conducting a consultation exercise to solicit views on the sitings and management options proposed for the five recommended Marine Special Areas (MSAs) designated for deploying ARs. These MSAs are to be set up at West Sokos and Shek Kwu Chau, East Po Toi, Ninepins, Outer Port Shelter and Shek Nga Chau. Noting that the MSAs were all outside existing marine parks, Mr Wilson said the success of the ARs project hinged on a practical and effective management of fishing operations within these areas. Fishing activities within and around artificial reefs complex will be regulated as the fish aggregation effects of ARs may facilitate capture and eventually exacerbate stock depletion. Mr Wilson said the result of the first fishing moratorium at South China Sea was encouraging and the implementation of fisheries management scheme proved effective. "Therefore, fishermen should have greater confidence in other similar fisheries resources and conservation management schemes. "These include establishing marine protected areas, deployment of ARs and the formulation of other fisheries management strategies," he added. |
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