Evaluation of Coral Health and Species Diversity at Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park, Hong Kong, China
Abstract
The Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park in North East Hong Kong is a protected area by the Hong Kong Agriculture Food Conservation Department and the World Wildlife Fund since 1996. This marine park is one of the oldest in Hong Kong and is protected by the "no take" zone policy. Essentially, the marine life, and coral cannot be removed from this park without approval of the HK government. Because of these policies and protections, Hoi Ha is an excellent location for long term studies of the coral and other marine species. While Hoi Ha is protected it is environmental compromised by the proximity to the The People's Republic of China (PRC) border and the heavily polluted Pearl River Delta area. Shenzhen, the closest industrial area and port to this marine park has grown significantly in the last 20 years and the quality of the water in this area is heavily polluted.
Using the methodology designed by the Coral Watch NGO in collaboration with University of Queensland, Australia, health and identification of the coral species in Hoi Ha Wan can be easily assessed visually. Coral Watch has designed color chart (Coral Health Chart with a scale of 1 - 6) that is used underwater to determine the health of the coral. The data collected will be used against historical data to determine both the short term and long term trends of this area.- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMED41D1172F
- Keywords:
-
- 0805 Elementary and secondary education;
- EDUCATIONDE: 0815 Informal education;
- EDUCATIONDE: 0855 Diversity;
- EDUCATION