What would you like to search for?

Our News

Discovering marine conservation

“Chatting with the fisherman Uncle Yau was impressive. I gained a lot through understanding his livelihood, opinions and the changes to Hong Kong’s fisheries over the years,” said a secondary school student who recently took part in a fishery management activity organized by WWF.

Chatting with the fisherman Uncle Yau was impressive. I gained a lot through understanding his livelihood, opinions and the changes to Hong Kong’s fisheries over the years,” said a secondary school student who recently took part in a fishery management activity organized by WWF.


 
As part of the Sea for Future secondary school education programme, students were given a chance to speak directly with fisherman on the topic of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) to gain an understanding of the concerns that different stakeholders have.
 
WWF is lobbying the Hong Kong government to set up MPAs covering at least 30% of Hong Kong waters by 2030 and ensure commercial fishing is excluded in these areas.
 
To raise awareness of the importance of conserving marine areas of high ecological value, as well as the practical issues involved in day-to-day conservation work, WWF has collaborated with 10 secondary schools with a focus on marine litter, seafood and fishery management.


 
In addition to speaking with fisherman, the students conducted surveys at restaurants and supermarkets in Sai Kung, to learn about Hong Kong’s role in the global seafood trade and the importance of choosing sustainable seafood. They also visited the Hoi Ha Marine Life Centre where they took a ride on a glass-bottomed boat and learned about human impacts to the environment through a marine litter survey.
 
Students will continue to learn about marine conservation and MPAs with the upcoming Sea for Future School Competition. Primary students will stage a three-minute puppet drama, while secondary students will design a buoy that can contribute to MPA management or marine conservation. Both the puppets and buoys must be made with post-consumer materials (i.e. waste products).
 
To continue the conversation, WWF has worked with the partner schools to create an online database with education resources for teachers and students who want to learn more about issues such as marine biodiversity, human impact on the oceans, sustainable seafood and local fishery development. Resources include WWF’s Marine Health Check Report and Marine Ecological Hotspot Map.

Share This!

Help us spread the message