Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar site, Hong Kong, People's Republic of ChinaThe north-western corner of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) is separated from mainland China by Deep Bay, a relatively shallow bay (maximum depth<3 m) that is surrounded bya mosaic of wetland habitats. For many generations, these wetlands have provided a livelihood for people farming oysters, shrimps, fish and other wetland products, as well as habitats for wildlife, particularly migratory waterbirds.The central part of this wetland is the Mai Po Marshes, an area made up by 24 traditionally operated commercial shrimp ponds (locally called gei wai) that were created in the mid-1940s but which were also important as a staging post for migratory waterbirds.In order to protect Mai Po and the surrounding wetlands, the Hong Kong Government declared the Mai Po Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1976, and listed the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay, a Ramsar site in 1995. However, despite the designation as a Ramsar site, the area continued to be degraded, especially due to commercial activities. With the aim of establishing the area for conservation and for promoting wetland education, WWF-Hong Kong, with financial assistance from the Hong Kong Government, assumed management control of the whole area in 1995.WWF-Hong Kong drafted habitat management plans for the Mai Po Nature Reserve (MPNR) for the periods 1994-99, 1999-2003 and 2004-08. These plans set the overall habitat management objectives for the MPNR and list the necessary prescriptions in order to achieve those objectives, along with a timetable for doing so.Following the listing of the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay, as a Ramsar site in 1995, the Hong Kong Government produced a management plan for the site in 1997. This plan set the broad framework for the conservation of the Ramsar area (including the MPNR), and divided the site into five management zones (Core Zone, Biodiversity Management Zone, Wise-use Zone, Public Access Zone and Private Land Zone), each with its own management objective. The Government-developed plans and those prepared by WWF compliment each other. The former sets the policy framework for the overall site, whilst the latter gave the details for practical measures to be carried out in conserving one part of the Ramsar site (the MPNR). Progress with implementation of the five-year management of the wetland habitats at MPNR is reviewed at regular intervals by the Mai Po Management Committee. It meets regularly and has members from government, other NGOs, as well as relevant wetland experts and stakeholders. This committee is also responsible for approving the MPNR habitat management plan. Progress with implementation of the management plan is subject to regular reviews of the plan allow opportunities for any problems to be highlighted and committee members, or staff, to proffer solutions to these problems; thus resulting in the improved management of the site.This flexible and adaptive approach to management of the MPNR has contributed to the improved management of the reserve for wildlife and visitors. Apart from leading to greater security for the biodiversity within the MPNR, improved site management also has a number of other benefits. For example, potential sponsors will be able to see that any money they donate to the reserve will be spent effectively.
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