WWF Hong Kong launched the SOS "Save Our Seas" campaign in 2004 aiming to protect local marine biodiversity, restore Hong Kong's fisheries, and create new jobs for fishermen who wish to stop fishing and carry out other non-extractive economic activities.
Our local seas, back in the 1950s, were rich with all sorts of marine life. We have 80 hard coral species, which outnumber those in the entire Caribbean, and around 1,000 fish species including Sharks, Manta rays and Green turtles. Today these species are scant in local waters and large predator fish are hardly seen.
For decades, reclamation, pollution, dredging and overfishing have all contributed to the dreadful situation. Hong Kong is now one of the most intensively fished places in the world with some areas being trawled with heavy weighted nets several times a day. As a result of unlimited fishing, populations of many species have crashed under a barrage of threats.
Reef sharks are virtually extinct, Manta rays have not been seen for decades, and the Green turtle has not visited the last regular nesting beach on Lamma for four years. The mighty Chinese bahaba, once common in Hong Kong waters is now listed on the IUCN Redlist as Critically Endangered in the world, and sometimes none are caught in Hong Kong in a year. Many other large food fish are now rare, and have to be imported.
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Reef sharks
© WWF-Canon / Cat Holloway |
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Manta Ray
© WWF-Canon / Cat Holloway |
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Green turtle
© Adam Minu |
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WWF believe the only solution to the problem is to identify "no-take" protection zones for marine life to survive undisturbed and thrive again. Following common practices in most of the other Asian countries, Hong Kong should also regulate fishing activities to allow marine life a break from incessant exploitation.
The ocean belongs to us all. We should protect it for the future generations to come. Let's join our SOS campaign to help strike a balance between our consumption of the sea and the continual survival of these beautiful oceanic creatures.
Our campaign objectives
More about our sea before and today |
