Conservation infrastructure and protected areas system

The Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Chapter 170, enacted in 1976, revised in 1980) prohibits hunting or possession of protected animals (including all wild birds) in Hong Kong. The Country Park Ordinance (Chapter 208, enacted in 1976, revised in 1995) provides for the designation, control and management of country parks and special areas, and the establishment of the Country and Marine Parks Board; the country parks designated under this ordinance cover c.40% of the area of Hong Kong. Both ordinances are enforced by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government. The Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Chapter 499, enacted in 1998) requires proponents of designated projects to avoid, minimise and control the adverse impact as far as practicable. If total avoidance is not practicable, the project proponents are required to mitigate the adverse impact to an acceptable level, or compensate for the impact caused.

Inner Deep Bay area was designated as a Ramsar Site in 1995. The core part of Inner Deep Bay, Mai Po Marshes, was declared as a restricted area in 1976, and has been managed in form of a nature reserve by WWF Hong Kong since 1984. All of Inner Deep Bay was declared as a restricted area in 1996.