XN000022-1996-05-08 — Page 64

43 -

Sanctuary for Chinese white dolphins

Following is a question by Dr the Hon John Tse and a written reply by the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, Mr Bowen Leung, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

As the works on the construction of the new airport have seriously affected the living environment of the Chinese white dolphins inhabiting the waters nearby, the Government has undertaken to designate an area of 1200 square kilometres between Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau as a sanctuary for the dolphins and to ban dragnet fishing activities within the sanctuary. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(1)

whether the department concerned has conducted periodic surveys on the number of white dolphins in the waters concemed; if so, what the survey methods adopted are and the annual number of dolphins gathered since the commencement of the above construction works; if not, whether consideration will be given to conducting such surveys on a periodic basis;

of the progress of the proposed plan to establish a dolphins sanctuary and the date the sanctuary is expected to be formally established;

whether the Government will consider enlarging the areas of the sanctuary;

whether consideration has been given to banning all fishing activities within the sanctuary;

of the distance between the sanctuary and the temporary Aviation Fuel Receiving Facility (AFRF) under construction in Sha Chau, and the effects of the temporary AFRF on the dolphins; and

whether there are other measures to protect the Chinese white dolphins?