Response to Government closure policy of Maipo from WWF-Hong Kong
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Eng ) (
Chi )
WWF’s losses amount to HK$1 million due to an outdated and biased closure policy
April 20, 2010
WWF-Hong Kong announces that the Mai Po Nature Reserve will re-open on 21 April 2010. This is the sixth closure in as many years at the Reserve due to the government’s closure policy, which is an outdated policy applicable to the internationally recognized Ramsar wetland and it should be reviewed urgently.
WWF-Hong Kong suffers direct losses of around $200,000 each closure period due to cancelled public visits which, over the past six years, has cumulated to over HK$1 million. Indirect financial losses are also incurred due to public wariness and slow uptake of visits following each closure.
“The losses have a significant impact on WWF’s management and education programmes in Mai Po. WWF is facing the difficulty of inadequate government funding to manage the Reserve by annually having to raise an additional HK$3.5 million to meet the management cost shortfall. Public visit revenue is therefore essential. Lost revenue from the Reserve closure translates into a reduction in our management operations at the Reserve which can affect wildlife,” said Bena Smith, Reserve Manager, WWF-Hong Kong.
“The closure of Mai Po due to single cases of dead birds with H5N1 within 3km of the boundary is woefully outdated. WWF respects the need for precautionary measures to ensure public safety, but we believe the current government policy is more about public perception, and having to be seen to do something, than actual scientific fact. There is no evidence of a human ever having contracted H5N1 from a wild bird,” added Mr Smith.
The period from November to April is traditionally the peak period for migratory waterbirds to visit Mai Po and the Deep Bay wetlands. Over the last few years, the closures have resulted in more than 13,000 public visitors and students losing the opportunity to learn and appreciate the spectacle of waterbird migration during this peak period.
Mr Smith said, “The current policy serves to only disrupt educational and recreational visits to Mai Po, reduce revenue needed to manage Mai Po, frustrate Hong Kong’s birdwatchers and send out the wrong message that Mai Po and Hong Kong is an unsafe place to visit.”
WWF also calls on the government to review the compensation policy, in which WWF sees a blatant inconsistency in policy applications. In 2007, the Mong Kok Bird Market which was closed for 18 days received government ex-gratia payments of $10,000 and a one-month waiver of rent to all the stall holders as compensation for this closure.
WWF has held several meetings with different government departments over the last few years in a bid to resolve the issue, but to date progress to revise the policy has been slow. WWF will call for further meetings with the Environment Bureau, Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) and Legislative councillors to propose a motion for policy review.
The Reserve will re-open on 21 April 2010 after 21 days of closure following notification by the AFCD that no further cases of H5 positive birds have been found within 3km of Mai Po. The Reserve has been closed since 31 March 2010 after a dead Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) found at the Mai Po Section of Castle Peak Road on 26 March 2010 was confirmed as H5N1 positive.
WWF places the highest priority on the health of visitors to Mai Po and our staff working in the Reserve. Since wild birds shun humans by nature, visitors to Mai Po do not come into close proximity to wild birds at the Reserve. WWF will continue to ensure its already stringent biosecurity measures are implemented to minimize risks to our staff and visitors. These measures include the provision of disinfectant hand washes and footbaths at selected points around the reserve, and regular disinfection of site infrastructure.
Since 2003, over 30,000 faecal samples from wild birds at Mai Po have been tested by the University of Hong Kong staff and Government. None of these samples tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu virus. In winter 2008/09, a dead Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) found at the Reserve was found to be H5N1 positive.
損失逾100萬港元米埔濕地營運及教育經費 世界自然基金會促請政府盡快檢討過時兼不公平政策
April 20, 2010
世界自然基金會香港分會宣布，米埔自然保護區(米埔)將於2010年 4月21日重新開放。過去六年，米埔因發現帶有H5N1的鳥屍而被關閉了六次。本會認為，政府目前正以過時的政策，應用於獲《拉姆薩爾公約》劃訂的國際重要濕地，必須盡快作出檢討。
每次關閉米埔而取消學校及公眾參觀活動，直接導致本會損失超過200,000港元的收入。六年來，本會合共損失逾100萬港元米埔的營運及教育經費。即使米埔重新開放後，參觀米埔的人數減少，進一步擴大本會的經濟損失。
世界自然基金會香港分會米埔保護區經理施百納（Bena Smith）表示：「收入損失，對世界自然基金會管理米埔及推行教育工作有重大影響。本會一直面對政府資助不足的情況，因此每年須額外籌集 350萬港元作補貼以有效地管理米埔。公眾參觀活動是其中重要的經費來源，關閉米埔造成的經濟損失，會打擊本會在米埔進行的生境管理工作，直接對米埔的生態健康造成影響。」
施百納補充指出：「本會十分重視為保障公眾所安排的預防措施，不過，於三公里範圍內發現單一帶有H5N1病毒的鳥屍而關閉米埔，卻是一項過時的政策。事實上，沒有證據證明人類可從野鳥身上感染H5N1，而政府對米埔實施的關閉政策，並非基於科學證據而制訂，相反，有關當局有只為安撫公眾因誤解而引起的恐慌之嫌。」
每年11 月至翌年 4 月是遷徙水鳥到訪米埔及內后海灣濕地的高峰期。多年來，已有超過1萬3千名學生及公眾人士，因為此不合理之政策而失去一年一次認識和欣賞水鳥遷徙壯觀場面的機會。
施百納說：「政府目前的措施，打擾市民於米埔進行教育及康樂活動計劃、削減米埔的營運經費、令觀鳥者極感困擾，更向公眾人士發放一個嚴重錯誤的信息：米埔及香港並非一個安全到訪的地方。」
本會同時要求政府檢討目前互相矛盾的賠償政策。2007年，旺角的雀鳥花園因禽流感關閉18天，政府隨後賠償檔主各1萬港元，並豁免他們一個月的租項。
多年來，本會曾與多個政府部門及官員舉行會議，以尋求解決辦法，不過有關修改政策的進展十分緩慢。未來，本會會繼續與環境局、漁農自然護理署及立法會議員等會面，爭取修改相關措施。
米埔自然保護區將於4月21重開。漁農自然護理署證實，在過去21天，保護區3公里範圍內再無發現其他H5個案。今年3月26日，漁農自然護理署於元朗青山公路米埔段檢獲一隻家燕屍體，初步測試懷疑帶有H5禽流感病毒，保護區因此於3月31日起，關閉21天作預防措施。
本會非常重視參觀人士及於米埔工作之員工的安全及健康。野鳥天性會躲避人類，參觀人士因此不會與野鳥有近距離接觸。本會將繼續推行一貫嚴緊的生物安全預防措施，減低參觀人士及員工面對的風險。有關措施包括在保護區內指定地點放置消毒潔手液及腳盆，保護區設施亦會定期消毒。
自2003年到目前為止，米埔約有超過30,000個野鳥樣本被送交香港大學及政府的研究人員進行檢測，沒有任何野鳥樣本發現對致病性強的 H5N1禽流感病毒呈陽性反應。2009年，米埔自然保護區內檢獲一隻蒼鷺屍體，證實對H5N1測試呈陽性反應。
