考察地點 Field Sites

龍尾灘 Lung Mei Shore

生境 Habitats

地點介紹 Site Description

龍尾灘是一處鄰近大尾督的海岸,有泥石灘、沙坪、河口等多樣的生境。2000年代,政府提議在該處填海興建人工泳灘,取代天然海岸生境,引起各環保團體大力反對。最後項目獲得城規會通過,雖然政府承諾採取一系列措施如為部分物種進行遷地保育,但成效存疑。

最初人工泳灘工程的環境影響評估報告極為粗疏,指出龍尾灘只有二十多種生物,並將該地評為僅有低生態價值。後來香港自然生態論壇看2008年到當地進行一連串考察,至今已記錄超過300種生物,其中更有不少瀕危、近危或罕有品種,例如大螻蛄蝦、管海馬、豹鰨、北方沙鰍、星點多紀魨及乳突蝦虎魚等,部分種類,如管海馬更以此地繁殖後代。

此事突顯了香港環評制度的不可靠,更引起了社會廣泛關注。直至2016年頭,泳灘工程仍因司法覆轄而暫停。

 

Lung Mei Shore is a stretch of natural seashore near Tai Mei Tuk, Tai Po. It has a diverse set of habitats, including muddy shore with rocks, sandflats, estuaries. In the 2000s, the government propose to build an artificial swimming beach at Lung Mei Shore, replacing the natural seashore. Despite urges from green groups to stop the project, it was approved by the Town Planning Board. The effectiveness of mitigation measures proposed, such as to relocate certain species of conservation concern, remains uncertain.

The initial Environmental Impact Assessment for the project was poorly done and recorded fewer than 30 species of organisms and concluded Lung Mei Shore has low biodiversity. However, with continuous field surveys done by HKWildlife, a local web forum of nature enthusiasts, more than 300 species have been recorded in Lung Mei Shore since 2008. Among them are many endangered, threatened and rare species, such as the mud shrimp (Laomedia sp.), the sole (Pardachirus pavoninus), the dragonet (Diplogrammus sp.), Spotted Seahorse, Grass Puffer and Indo-Pacific Tropical Sand Goby. Some species, such as the Spotted Seahorse, breed in the shore.

This incident revealed the failure of the Environmental Impact Assessment system to safeguard Hong Kong's natural environment and have raised public concern. Until the start of 2016, the project was haulted due to judicial review.