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Connor Mycroft

Hong Kong authorities issued 300 verbal warnings to people visiting Sharp Island on the first day of mainland China’s Labour Day “golden week” holiday, when thousands flocked to see attractions in the city’s Unesco Global Geopark.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said on Saturday that the 3,000 visitors to Sharp Island a day earlier had “exceeded expectations”, prompting the deployment of additional frontline staff.
Sai Kung district has become a popular tourist destination due to its natural scenery and well-established hiking trails, attracting some of the roughly 250,000 mainland arrivals on the first day of the five-day holiday.
But the area’s growing popularity, which is partly due to its heavy promotion on mainland social media, has triggered concerns about the potential ecological damage arising from overtourism.
The department also said that about 5,700 people visited the High Island Reservoir East Dam on Friday, resulting in what it described as “extremely busy crowds”.
“Staff maintained order and managed the flow of people at the trail entrances and the viewing platform,” it said. “Visitors cooperated with the instructions of on-site staff and waited patiently; overall, the situation was orderly.”


Discussing the influx of visitors to Sharp Island, the department said it had “immediately deployed additional frontline staff, and the flow of people on the island was generally orderly”.
“During patrols on Sharp Island, staff issued around 300 verbal warnings to visitors,” it said.
Mainland university students Wang Xuchen and Liu Jinyu, both 20 years old, told the South China Morning Post on Saturday that they visited Hong Kong primarily to hike. Wang, from Shandong province, said he took a 20-hour train journey to the city.
“The MacLehose Trail is popular among [mainland] hikers,” he said, adding they finished the first two sections of the trail on Friday. “The view from it was breathtaking.”
A day earlier, the SCMP observed about a dozen visitors removing small crabs and shells from the island’s tombolo, prompting conservation officers and volunteers to confront them and issue warnings.
The government previously announced it would step up patrols and education efforts on the island in anticipation of increased footfall, after parts of its coral reef were damaged during the mainland’s National Day golden week holiday last October.
Despite being a popular tourist attraction within the geopark, the ecologically sensitive island is not part of a designated marine park or reserve, meaning the coral reefs, seahorses and other marine life along its coastline have no statutory protection.
The department said it had also issued 40 verbal warnings to people visiting Lantau Island’s Shui Hau on Friday. About 1,000 people visited the area that day, it added.
The department said that it had stepped up cleaning and waste management efforts in the Sai Kung campsite area, and it had deployed additional personnel for round-the-clock patrols at the Ham Tin Wan, Sai Wan and Long Ke Wan campsites.
Drones and CCTV cameras were being used to assist staff in monitoring campsite activities, it said.
It said about 1,100 tents were observed at the three campsites on Friday night.
“While the number of campers was high, the order and cleanliness of the campsites were good from last night to this morning, and the situation was largely in line with the planned expectations,” the department said.


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Hong Kong environmental issues

300 verbal warnings issued to Sharp Island visitors on Labour Day

Visitors flock to Sharp Island in Sai Kung on the first day of mainland China’s Labour Day holiday. Photo: Dickson Lee

Visitors warned over removing crabs, shells from Hong Kong’s Sharp Island

Visitors collect crabs and shells at Sharp Island in Sai Kung. Photo: Eric Jiang

Banners, booths and conservation officers were deployed to promote marine protection on the island. Photo: Dickson Lee

Shen Siyuan, a tourist from Shanghai, was among those visiting the island. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hong Kong to block off parts of Sharp Island shoreline to protect corals for ‘golden week’

Staff will also be deployed to monitor the sea off Sharp Island. Photo: Karma Lo

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will also use drones at Sharp Island. Photo: Karma Lo

Tourists packed Sharp Island during the “golden week” holiday last October. Photo: Handout

Greenpeace earlier said tourists had trampled on corals. Photo: Handout

Tourist Zheng Man (front) was visiting the island with her family. Photo: Karma Lo

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also says number of visitors to island on Saturday had ‘exceeded expectations’


Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also says number of visitors to island on Saturday had ‘exceeded expectations’.


Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD)

Golden week

Hong Kong tourism

300 verbal warnings issued to Sharp Island visitors on Labour Day

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also says number of visitors to island on Saturday had ‘exceeded expectations’

Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also says number of visitors to island on Saturday had ‘exceeded expectations’