Author: David O'Dwyer

Sadly a beautiful Northern bluefin Tuna, weighing 342kg (that is a BIG fish), was sold today (5th January) for a record price of Y32,490,000 (around US$396,000). The buyer was an upmarket Tokyo sushi store and Hong Kong’s Taste of Japan group (one of it’s most popular brands is Itamae Sushi)

Guardian newspaper article and video

The Northern bluefin tuna is an endangered species that is the centre of an international feud over fishing quotas and finger pointing on who is to blame, efforts to set unsustainable quotas have been squashed by political wrangling and inaction. This particular specimen was caught using highly damaging long line fishing techniques.

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As we close 2010 we have a lot to look forward to in 2011.

We can anticipate that Legco will debate and ratify plans to ban trawling in Hong Kong and we can expect that commercial fishing in marine parks will finally be banned.  These two anomalies in Hong Kong need to be closed off and stopped.

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On 21st November, 2010, we took a day trip to the Tung Peng Chau Marine / Geo Park with our friends from EnglishTown in Hong Kong. We took the morning ferry from the Ma Liu Shui pier and arrived 1

We returned to Yan Chau Tong Marine park on the 7th November 2010, with a group of 17 staff and friends from the US consulate in Hong Kong. Originally scheduled for the 23rd October, our plans had to be changed because of the imposing presence of Super Typhoon Megi.

Early November presented us with more typical Hong Kong autumn/winter weather and we had blue skies to match the fine scenery and company.

Finally some good news, the Chief Executive, Donald Tsang, in his 2010-11 policy address has announced the following exciting news :

“To protect our precious marine resources and ecology, we will implement a basket of management measures such as banning trawling in
Hong Kong waters through legislation in order to restore our seabed and marine resources as early as possible”

Damaging fishing trawlers could be a thing of the past

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Jeffrey Lee and David O’Dwyer, founding members of Living Seas HK conducted a lunchtime presentation to US consulate staff on the 28th Sept.   A really positive event and opportunity to share experiences and perspectives about Hong Kong’s marine life

  On the 19th September, Living Seas took a group of 34 English students from English Town to the Hoi Ha Wan marine park.   We were lucky enough to have a tour conducted by  WWF Hong Kong.  WWF introduced

Hong Kong may be one of the world’s most crowded urban areas, but it is blessed with a variety of ecotourism options.  Not only has over 40% of its land area been designated as Country parks, it also has a

Donald Tsang, the Hong Kong Chief Executive, announced in his policy address for 2009-2010 the plan to ban commercial fishing in Hong Kong’s four marine parks.  This slightly reworded announcement was a repeat of his policy address for the previous year.

As we have previously reported, the proposed legislative change has been discussed in the January 2009 meeting of the Legco Panel on Environmental Affairs.  The Panel met again on the 23rd November 2009, the background briefing papers can be found HERE

The ban will help to revitalise the marine environment in the parks and will help increase fish populations in the marine park area, eventually fish populations will increase in surrounding areas as well.  The proposal needs to include increase policing to stop illegal fishing activities in these areas.

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