Horseshoe crab juveniles have been recorded from sand and sandy-mud nursery beaches at Pak Nai (western New Territories), San Tau and Shui Hau (Lantau Island), Hong Kong. In order to provide a better understanding of ...Horseshoe crab juveniles have been recorded from sand and sandy-mud nursery beaches at Pak Nai (western New Territories), San Tau and Shui Hau (Lantau Island), Hong Kong. In order to provide a better understanding of these beaches and to identify those plausible factors which have made them preferred by spawning horseshoe crabs, environmental parameters, including temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen content of the water, and particle size distribution and organic matter content of the sediments at the three sites, were determined and compared. The hydrographic and sediment data obtained for the three study sites have revealed some common environmental features. The three nursery beaches are relatively remote, and far (in Hong Kong terms) from urbanized and densely populated areas. The beaches are generally well sheltered from strong wave action and inundated regularly by estuarine waters. Horseshoe crab adults tend to select these beaches for spawning as their protected features ensures the laid eggs are less likely to be washed out of the sand, and hatched juveniles can feed on the meiofauna and grow. Sediments of the three beaches largely comprise medium-sized sand particles and are moderately sorted, suggesting medium porosity and good water permeability. Such a sand type, with the generally high oxygen levels in incursing waters, may help create a well-oxygenated micro-environment for the normal development of horseshoe crab eggs, larvae and juveniles. Lantau Island beaches at San Tau and Shui Hau are relatively free from organic pollution, as reflected in generally high dissolved oxygen level, and low BOD 5 and ammonia nitrogen values. Pak Nai is, however, more polluted.展开更多
The HKC （Hong Kong Convention） adopted by the IMO in 2009 is aimed at ensuring that ships, when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risk to human health and ...The HKC （Hong Kong Convention） adopted by the IMO in 2009 is aimed at ensuring that ships, when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risk to human health and safety of the marine environment. The text of the ship recycling Convention was developed with input from the IMO （International Maritime Organization） Member States and relevant NGOs （Non-Governmental Organizations）, and in co-operation with the ILO （International Labor Organization） and the Parties to the Basel Convention. The Convention intends to address all the issues around ship recycling, taking into account that ships sold for scrapping may contain environmentally hazardous substances. It addresses concerns raised about the working and environmental conditions at many of the world ship recycling locations. Regulations in the new Convention cover： the design, construction, operation and preparation of ships so as to facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling, without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships; the operation of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environmentally sound manner; and the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling, incorporating certification and reporting requirements. This paper will present and discuss the evaluation of the Hong Kong Convention. Also it will discuss implementing the Hong Kong convention to improve the recycling business, highlighting the effect of the convention on the maritime industry.展开更多
文摘Horseshoe crab juveniles have been recorded from sand and sandy-mud nursery beaches at Pak Nai (western New Territories), San Tau and Shui Hau (Lantau Island), Hong Kong. In order to provide a better understanding of these beaches and to identify those plausible factors which have made them preferred by spawning horseshoe crabs, environmental parameters, including temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen content of the water, and particle size distribution and organic matter content of the sediments at the three sites, were determined and compared. The hydrographic and sediment data obtained for the three study sites have revealed some common environmental features. The three nursery beaches are relatively remote, and far (in Hong Kong terms) from urbanized and densely populated areas. The beaches are generally well sheltered from strong wave action and inundated regularly by estuarine waters. Horseshoe crab adults tend to select these beaches for spawning as their protected features ensures the laid eggs are less likely to be washed out of the sand, and hatched juveniles can feed on the meiofauna and grow. Sediments of the three beaches largely comprise medium-sized sand particles and are moderately sorted, suggesting medium porosity and good water permeability. Such a sand type, with the generally high oxygen levels in incursing waters, may help create a well-oxygenated micro-environment for the normal development of horseshoe crab eggs, larvae and juveniles. Lantau Island beaches at San Tau and Shui Hau are relatively free from organic pollution, as reflected in generally high dissolved oxygen level, and low BOD 5 and ammonia nitrogen values. Pak Nai is, however, more polluted.
文摘The HKC （Hong Kong Convention） adopted by the IMO in 2009 is aimed at ensuring that ships, when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risk to human health and safety of the marine environment. The text of the ship recycling Convention was developed with input from the IMO （International Maritime Organization） Member States and relevant NGOs （Non-Governmental Organizations）, and in co-operation with the ILO （International Labor Organization） and the Parties to the Basel Convention. The Convention intends to address all the issues around ship recycling, taking into account that ships sold for scrapping may contain environmentally hazardous substances. It addresses concerns raised about the working and environmental conditions at many of the world ship recycling locations. Regulations in the new Convention cover： the design, construction, operation and preparation of ships so as to facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling, without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships; the operation of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environmentally sound manner; and the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling, incorporating certification and reporting requirements. This paper will present and discuss the evaluation of the Hong Kong Convention. Also it will discuss implementing the Hong Kong convention to improve the recycling business, highlighting the effect of the convention on the maritime industry.
