‘Pink dolphins threatened by smuggling speedboats’

Increasing smuggling activities near the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge have become a threat to pink dolphins’ survival.

That’s according to Viena Mak, vice-chairwoman of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society.

She told an RTHK programme on Tuesday that since 2020, large numbers of smuggling speedboats began to gather north of the bridge near Sha Chau, and in July and August this year, they moved south and started to stay in the waters off Tai O – close to the habitat of the Chinese White Dolphins.

Mak said customs and marine police vessels often tried to disperse the speedboats and illegal fish boats but the operations were not always effective.

“We noticed that customs or marine police went to disperse them or inspect illegal fish boats from time to time, and perhaps because of that they would move around,” she said.

“After the operations, the small vessels would quickly return and stay.”

The conservationist said the vessels’ propellers and the noise they make could hurt and disturb the cetacean.

“It was rather dangerous. When they moved around, they would travel near our vessel, and of course, we were observing the dolphins, so we were even more worried about the safety of the dolphins,” she said.

Authorities had said smuggling activities at sea had increased partly because borders were closed due to the pandemic.