Figures
Figure 9.1 Distribution of Adult Fish
Production
Figure 9.2 Distribution of Fish Fry
Production
Figure 9.3 Overall Distribution
of Fishing Operations
With reference to Chapter
2,
there are three Reprovisioning Options, namely Option
A, Option B, and Option C, that are being considered
for the Project. This
section presents an assessment to identify any adverse fisheries impacts
associated with the carrying out of the Project under all the reprovisioning options, in accordance with the technical
requirements stated in Section 3.4.9 of the EIA Study Brief.
ˇ Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance – Technical Memorandum (EIAO-TM), Annexes 9 and 17. Annex 9 recommends the criteria that are to be used for evaluating fisheries impacts. Annex 17 prescribes the general approach and methodology for the assessment of fisheries impacts arising from a project or proposal, to allow a complete and objective identification, prediction and evaluation of the potential impacts.
ˇ Fisheries Protection Ordinance (Cap. 171). This Ordinance provides regulations for the conservation of fish and other aquatic life and regulates fishing practices.
ˇ Marine Fish Culture Ordinance (Cap. 353). This Ordinance regulates and protects marine fish culture and other related activities.
ˇ Water Pollution Control Ordinance (WPCO) (Cap. 358). This Ordinance sets limits to water quality parameters in fish culture zones.
It
is identified that no fish pond is present within the Project site or in the
vicinity, and no marine fish culture zone is present within the Victoria
Harbour Phase Three Water Control Zone. Only capture fisheries activities are
recorded at the offshore water of Kennedy Town which is described below.
In 2013, the estimated fisheries production of Hong Kong from capture fisheries in waters both inside and outside Hong Kong
amounted to 170,129 tonnes, valued at HK$2,338 million[1].
Within Hong Kong waters, the highest yields for local fisheries within Hong
Kong waters were mainly derived from the eastern and north-eastern coasts.
Commercial fish species reproduce throughout the year, although spawning for the majority of species is concentrated during the period from June to September. The findings of a literature review conducted for AFCD[2] have determined that the marine waters within the Victoria Harbour were not identified as a nursery or spawning ground for commercial fisheries.
The Legislative Council has passed the legislative amendments to ban trawling (including pair, stern, shrimp and hang trawling) in Hong Kong waters with the aim of protecting the marine resources and ecosystem. The trawling ban has been in effect since 31 December 2012.
The relevant data related to the offshore
water of Kennedy Town was extracted from the Port Survey conducted in 2006[3]. In the survey, a uniform grid of 720ha cell
size overlaid on
Fisheries
Production
The Port Survey results showed that the offshore water of Kennedy
Town had
very low fish production (>0 and <= 50 kg/ha), as presented in Figure
9.1. The highest range of fisheries
production in
Among the 10 families of major fisheries production in Hong Kong during 2006, the most abundant species at the offshore water of Kennedy Town was Rabbitfish (Siganidae) with production of 20–40kg/ha. Other families captured with production of <=5kg/ha included Shrimp, Squid, Croaker (Sciaenidae), Crab, Mullet (Mugilidae), Sardine (Clupeidae) and Seabream (Sparidae). There was no fish fry production recorded at the offshore water of Kennedy Town, as shown in Figure 9.2.
Fishing
Operations
The Port Survey results showed that at the
offshore water of Kennedy Town the number of fishing vessels under operation
was at the range of 50–100
vessels, as presented in Figure
9.3. They included shrimp trawler, gill netter, hand
liner, miscellaneous craft and sampan. All of them were less than 15m in length. Sampan was the dominant type with 10–50
vessels operating around the Project area. Other vessel types were of low
numbers, with no more than 10 vessels for each of them. In terms of production,
all the five types of fishing vessels at the offshore water of Kennedy Town had
low fisheries
production with not more than 50kg/ha.
No potential adverse fisheries impact is
identified resulting from the Project as no marine works or potential adverse
deterioration of marine water quality is predicted for all the three Reprovisioning Options.
Reprovisioning Option A/B/C does not involve any seabed, foreshores, or fish ponds, or any direct or indirect discharge of any kind of pollutants into the marine waters. The Project will not affect any fishing or aquaculture activities, fisheries resources or habitats, or aquaculture sites. In view of above and referring to Annex 17 of the EIAO-TM, fisheries impact assessment is deemed not necessary for the Project.
As
there is no potential adverse fisheries impact, no fisheries-specific mitigation
measure is considered necessary.
One
of the planned concurrent and interfacing projects identified for the
Project, “Reprovisioning of Kennedy Town Saltwater Pumping Station”, may
involve marine works for construction of the relocated saltwater intake.
Although no information regarding the programme or construction methods for
this project are available (as described in Section
2.7 of
this report), it is anticipated that there will not be any major impact on
fisheries or potentially adverse deterioration of marine water quality.
Therefore, no cumulative impact on fisheries is identified.
No
specific fisheries mitigation measure is required. Therefore, no monitoring and
audit programme on fisheries aspect is considered necessary.
Given that no significant fisheries impact
is anticipated for the Project, no residual impact is identified.
Evaluation of fisheries impact addressed has confirmed
there is no adverse fisheries impact resulting from the Project under the three
assessed Reprovisioning Options. According to EIAO-TM and clause
3.4.9.1 of the EIA Study Brief, no fisheries
impact assessment is deemed necessary for the Project.
[1] AFCD (2014). Capture Fisheries. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/fish_cap/fish_cap_latest/fish_cap_latest.html (Last Revision Date: 21 March 2014)
[2] ERM. (1998). Fisheries Resources and Fishing Operations in Hong Kong Waters. Submitted to Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
[3] AFCD (2014). Capture Fisheries. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/fish_cap/fish_cap_latest/fish_cap_latest.html (Last Revision Date: 21 March 2014)