In view of the recurring of coral bleaching in Hong Kong recently, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) met with local experts today (August 29) to discuss the ways to cope with the issue, and exchange views on the way forward on coral research and conservation work.
A spokesman for the AFCD said, "Under the influence of different environmental factors, large-scale coral bleaching has occurred in 2022 and again this year. The Government needs to work with experts to formulate suitable coping strategies."
A number of local coral and marine science experts attended the meeting today to share their views on conserving corals in Hong Kong with the AFCD. In the meeting, the AFCD and the participants shared the latest information on coral bleaching in Hong Kong this year, reviewed the current research and conservation work on corals, and explored future directions of the relevant research and conservation work. Some participants noted that coral bleaching is a global phenomenon and occurs not only in Hong Kong. The participants proposed preliminary ideas on future directions of research in the end. The Government will continue to explore different research directions and formulate response plans with the experts after the meeting.
The spokesman noted that coral communities are highly productive habitats that support a high diversity of marine life. The Government is very concerned about the long-term survival of coral communities. The suggestions of the experts will help the Government to formulate effective and timely measures and a sound strategy for resource allocation.
The AFCD has been promoting a series of measures and programmes for the conservation of corals in Hong Kong, including effective management of marine parks and a marine reserve, education and publicity activities to enhance public awareness of the importance of coral communities, the annual Hong Kong Reef Check to monitor the status of local coral communities, and the study and implementation of mitigation measures to restore degraded coral communities.
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