Marine Biodiversity and Conservation of Hong Kong: Past, Present and Future
Introduction
Public Lecture co-organized by the Faculty of Science, School of Biological Sciences and The Swire Institute of Marine Science.
Speaker:
Professor Brian Morton
Professor Emeritus of Marine Ecology
School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong
Date: October 5, 2013 (Saturday)
Time:
10:30 - 11:00 am Registration and light refreshments
11:00 - 11:50 am Public lecture
11:50 - 12:30 pm Panel and open discussion
Venue: Rayson Huang Theatre, Main Campus, HKU
Medium: English
About the talk:
While Hong Kong is surrounded by marine waters with a long coastline, the territorial sea area is relatively small (ca. 1,650 km2) and there are numerous conflicts with regard to the use of such a small marine environment ranging from ship navigation, ports, marinas and piers, to fisheries, sea bathing and diving, marine protected areas and, notably, the habitat of the Chinese white dolphin. Given the ever-increasing local human population and demands for land supply to build infrastructures (e.g. sites for bridge and causeways, the 3rd runway for the airport) and residential accommodation, reclamation has been proposed as a possible option to achieve this. There is also an on-going debate about whether the Government should turn the shore at Lung Mei into an artificial beach as a way to promote tourism and the local economy. Controversially too, the area around the marine park of Hoi Ha is being developed. In this talk, Professor Morton will talk to us about the history and character of our marine environment, the local rich marine biodiversity and the ecology and conservation of our marine environment, and then address the following questions:
- Should the Marine Parks and Reserve network be expanded? If so, where?
- How much more reclamation can there be in Hong Kong? If more is needed, what for and where?
- Can a swimming beach be built at Lung Mei? If so, why? And will it thrive?
- What is most needed to help scientists (Government and University), consultants and environmentalists plan a biodiversity strategy for Hong Kong?
Professor Morton’s talk will be followed by a panel and open discussion. Representatives from the Hong Kong Government, green groups and academia will be invited to serve as panel members. This public lecture and its panel discussion will be highly relevant to the Liberal Studies curriculum of local high schools and useful to graduate and postgraduate students who are studying environmental science and management.
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