Greenpeace reports that industrial-scale shrimp farming has damaged more than 13 hectares of protected wetlands within Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis development area. The NGO found that waterproof tarps and aquaculture pools have replaced traditional fish ponds in the Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park, threatening biodiversity and local species.
What happened in the Northern Metropolis wetlands?
Researchers from Greenpeace identified two separate instances of wetland degradation in early 2024. In January, the group found that 4.3 hectares of traditional fish ponds near Mai Po were converted into aquaculture farms. By early June, another nine-hectare plot near San Tin’s Sam Po Shue was transformed into industrial shrimp farms, according to the NGO.
The San Tin site contains 39 circular pools, covering an area equivalent to 13 standard football pitches. Greenpeace reported finding heavy-duty waterproof tarps covering the soil, along with water purifiers, electricity generators, and construction pipes scattered across the land.
How does industrial shrimp farming damage the ecosystem?
The use of waterproof tarps creates extreme thermal conditions on the ground. Greenpeace recorded temperatures as high as 71.5 degrees Celsius in tarp-covered areas, which is 26 degrees higher than adjacent land with natural vegetation. This temperature spike, along with the non-porous nature of the materials, increases the risk of flooding, the NGO stated.
These activities threaten the habitat of the Eurasian otter, a species classified as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The industrialization of these ponds disrupts the ecological balance required to support such wildlife.
Why are these farms operating in a protected area?
The damaged sites sit within the Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park. This 338-hectare area was designated under the government’s Northern Metropolis plan specifically to compensate for ecological losses caused by urban development. However, current regulations contain a loophole regarding construction materials.
Wong Suet-mei, a Greenpeace campaigner, stated that while the government restricts the use of concrete or water tanks in fish ponds, it doesn’t regulate waterproof tarps. Furthermore, Wong noted that digging and construction work inside the Sam Po Shue wetlands doesn’t require an environmental impact assessment.
What are the demands for restoration?
Greenpeace is urging Hong Kong authorities to take three specific actions to prevent further degradation:
- Restore the affected wetland areas to their natural state.
- Implement strict regulations targeting industrial aquaculture within protected zones.
- Strengthen the legal status of the Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park to prevent future encroachment.
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