During the summer and long holiday periods, Sharp Island—one of Hong Kong’s popular coastal ecotourism hotspots—attracts large numbers of local residents and visitors seeking to enjoy the marine environment. However, the increasing intensity of marine and nearshore recreational activities also places invisible pressure on fragile marine ecosystems. How to continue enabling the public to enjoy the ocean while safeguarding ecosystem health has become a key challenge in coastal management in Hong Kong. This summer, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has appointed WWF to roll out a series of demonstration-based, on-site conservation and public education actions.

WWF- Hong Kong (WWF) has long been committed to marine conservation and has, for many years, identified Sharp Island and the Inner Port Shelter area as priority sites for marine conservation, while building ongoing partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders. As the Government listed conservation of Sharp Island as one of the priority actions under the Hong Kong Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) 2035, and subsequently confirmed its inclusion in future marine park planning.

These actions centre on guidance, capacity building, and education. WWF and AFCD have jointly developed a recommended zoning concept that clearly identifies ecologically sensitive waters. Through on-site interpretation, the public is introduced to and encouraged to follow “coral-safe routes,” helping snorkellers and kayakers select appropriate entry and exit points and reduce direct disturbance to coral communities.

At the same time, WWF has deployed trained Ocean Ambassadors and guides to provide real-time behavioural guidance along the shore and in nearshore waters, encouraging responsible ocean-use practices. These efforts extend beyond snorkelling and kayaking activities to include general visitors, promoting basic marine conservation principles such as not touching or collecting marine life and practising “Take Your Litter Home,” including taking personal waste away. In addition, helpers will conduct simple visitor surveys to better understand visitor use patterns, such as their purpose of visit, in order to support future management and planning.

At the industry level, WWF actively engages with snorkelling and kayaking operators to share ecological information and best-practice guidelines, while encouraging voluntary compliance and positive peer influence within the sector. We believe through building trust and collaboration, more frontline practitioners will become important partners in conveying conservation messages to visitors.

The actions undertaken at Sharp Island this summer represent a hands-on process of building experience and practical insights to support long-term coastal management. WWF hopes that these experiences will help inform more comprehensive coastal conservation and management measures in the future, while encouraging broader stakeholder participation in safeguarding Hong Kong’s precious and vulnerable coastal ecosystems.

Map card of “Coral-safe Route” (Coach Version) / (Visitor Version)

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