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Shark expert presents preliminary findings
As part of the strenuous efforts to tackle the shark problem in Hong Kong, the Government's Inter-departmental Working Group on Shark Attacks, chaired by the acting Deputy Secretary for Recreation and Culture, Mr Ian Petersen, has invited an expert from the United States to provide the Government on the spot advice and assistance on matters relating to shark attacks.
The expert, Mr George Burgess, who is the Director of the International Shark Attack File, Florida Museum of Natural History, had arrived in mid-June.
During the past two weeks, he has been working closely with the University of Hong Kong, the Ocean Park Corporation, and Government officials from relevant departments and has undertaken a thorough scientific review of the Hong Kong attack situation.
Outlining his preliminary evaluation on the issue at a press conference this (Thursday) afternoon, Mr Burgess said the recent upswing in shark attacks, six in five years, was likely a function of increased human utilisation of Hong Kong's nearshore waters which included recreational water sports, mariculture, dredge-and-fill activities, and waste disposal.
There has also been a continuous rise in the number of beach users over the last two decades. Thus, the larger the number of person-hours in the water, the greater the chance there is of encountering a shark.
In addition, human development activities during the same period have resulted in increases in various forms of pollution and habitat destruction through dredge-and- fill practices. Heavy fishing pressure has also affected local stocks of fishes.
"Regrettably there is no biological data available regarding Hong Kong's shark populations, but it is safe to assume that they are diminishing proportionately with declines observed in local fisheries.
"Thus, human activities are largely responsible for driving the shark attack phenomenon since there are more humans in the water and likely less sharks," he said.
Mr Burgess pointed out that Hong Kong's shark attacks apparently were also based on a combination of seasonal meteorological and oceanographic events, and by anthropogenic effects.