By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-10-30 11:11:40 | Updated at 2024-10-30 13:21:21
2 hours ago
Hong Kong’s conservation department has suggested authorities give it the power to temporarily block off part of the city’s waters and consider a ban on whale watching as part of protection measures, following the death of one of the marine mammals last year.
But Dolphin Conservation Society chairman Taison Chang Kai-tai on Wednesday cast doubt on the proposal to give the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department director such powers, noting authorities also had to look into the feasibility of setting up temporary restriction zones.
“It is more important to think about how to execute, instead of who has the power,” he said.
The department said on Tuesday it had proposed a legislative review to a government expert group on conserving marine mammals.
It suggested its director be given the ability to designate certain parts of the city’s waters as temporary restricted areas when marine mammals were spotted.
Other proposals include giving legal status to an existing code of conduct for dolphin watching and exploring a ban on the watching of non-resident cetaceans such as whales, dolphins and porpoises.
