Establishment of marine protected areas in Hong Kong

In the past decades, much work has been done by the Hong Kong Government to conserve the terrestrial flora and fauna and to establish country parks and protected areas in Hong Kong. In 1995, a new legislation was enacted to enable the government to designate sea areas as marine parks or marine reserves for the purposes of protection, conservation, and education. The first marine parks and a marine reserve were designated on 5 July 1996 and management strategies are being developed. This paper outlines the experiences gained in the designation of marine parks and a marine reserve in Hong Kong.