Its drizzling up at the surface but its nothing too serious and the waves are still calm. We’re going to go fishing once my friends get here.
It will be my daughter’s first time hunting ever! She’s going to be so confused and befuddled it will be funny to watch. Her brother will be joining us though so she’ll have plenty of guidance. Fish aren’t as plentiful as they once was a decade ago but its been getting better. We just have to know where to go for a good feast. I think today’s plan is to go to the Brothers Island. It actually used to be quite dangerous due to the construction which ruined our sea bed. However, after years of recovery and its new marine park status, the Brothers Islands are regaining its popularity within the dolphin community.
The others are here! Time to get going. We have to get past the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai Bridge pillars first. Let me tell you, this used to be like a war zone during construction. Ships were lined up ready for battle and the construction noises were deafening cannonballs constantly going off. Now, peace has returned and we can travel between East and North Lantau with ease again – we just have to keep an eye out for the pillars. Good thing much of West Lantau waters is now a marine park and we don’t have to worry about developments that will put it through the hell North Lantau waters went through.
We’re now passing by Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park. It was the first marine park the humans established for us. During the chaotic couple years that North Lantau went through, a lot of dolphins ended up residing here. It got very crowded and there would occasionally be fights over food and space. Thats why I decided to move to West Lantau though it started to get a little crowded as well. However, now that North Lantau has regained its peace this is no longer a problem. The rain has died down a little and you can see the beautiful scenery which so many of us call home.
We’re now passing by the airport on our right. The restriction zone here is quite a popular spot at night. Luckily, the humans figured out how to managed their runway efficiently and we didn’t lose this hotspot to reclamation for a third runway in 2016. It has given us time to try explore North Lantau after the developments and determine whether or not it is still suitable for us to live in. The ferries have also stopped increasing and as long as they stay enroute at an appropriate speed, we know what areas to avoid. We are now able to reach the Brothers Islands safely without worrying for our lives. The balance we found with the humans allowed our friendship with them to stay strong.
Here we are! The new Brothers Islands Marine Park. Now that the clouds have cleared up and the sun is out, you can see the true beauty of this place! Look at my daughter go! She’s helplessly trying to chase after fish herself, even her brothers having a good laugh! Its going to take her some practice. I’m glad she’s having so much fun though. Do you hear her clicking with joy? There were times in the last couple years when I truly believed that I might not ever be able to return here again. I was worried that my daughter would not have the safe haven I had to grow up in. Now I see hope. Hope that our dolphin stories will continue with a blissful happily ever after.
Flaws of the Third Runway EIA report (30)
Chinese White Dolphin numbers in Hong Kong Lantau waters have already been drastically decreasing in the past decade. A reclamation project for a third runway will cause the dolphins to lose even more of their habitat and will be the largest threat to the survival. The Airport Authority has the responsibility to fully and extensively the impacts the project will bring to the dolphin by properly estimating their numbers before, during and after construction. There is a lot the AA can do to fulfill their responsibilities: Establish marine parks south and west of lantau, Halt Sky Pier ferries for impact assessment, reroute ferries to avoid dolphin habitat or allow recovery time for the dolphins around the Brother Islands before construction as well as use it as a proper assessment of effectiveness for the proposed marine park in 2023. However, the airport authority does not acknowledge any of this in the EIA report. Does the AA really want to try protect the dolphins whilst building a third runway?
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