{"id":40093724,"date":"2023-10-06T18:06:40","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T17:06:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chinadialogueocean.net\/?p=93724"},"modified":"2025-09-03T12:50:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T11:50:57","slug":"restoring-hong-kongs-oyster-reefs-a-photo-story","status":"publish","type":"photo_story","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/ocean\/restoring-hong-kongs-oyster-reefs-a-photo-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Restoring Hong Kong&#8217;s oyster reefs: a photo story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Oyster reefs are important coastal habitats increasingly recognised for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/national\/habitat-conservation\/oyster-reef-habitat#:~:text=Oysters%20are%20a%20crucial%20component,and%20protecting%20productive%20estuary%20waters.\">ecosystem services<\/a> they provide. Made of large colonies of the shellfish that attach to each other and grow in layers over time, the reefs filter and clean seawater, provide habitats for other species and act as a natural barrier against storms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Less well known than coral reefs and mangrove forests, oyster reefs were once common in river mouths, bays and intertidal and subtidal zones across the world\u2019s temperate and subtropical regions, and even into the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmars.2022.873768\/full#B87\">tropics<\/a>. But overharvesting, pollution, coastal development and climate change have caused the reefs to shrink by an estimated global average of <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/bioscience\/article\/61\/2\/107\/242615?login=false\">85%<\/a> compared to historical levels. Today, they are considered one of the world\u2019s most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2351989419305554#bib31\">imperilled<\/a> marine ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This global decline is mirrored in China\u2019s waters. Although historical data is limited, it\u2019s thought that oyster reefs were once <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2351989423000446\">widespread<\/a> along the country\u2019s coasts. Evidence of ancient reefs up to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.haiyangkaifayuguanli.com\/ch\/reader\/create_pdf.aspx?file_no=20210515&amp;year_id=2021&amp;quarter_id=5&amp;falg=1\">25,000 years old<\/a> can be seen in the Shenhu Bay submerged forest nature reserve in Jinjiang, Fujian province. The extent of natural reefs that survive today is also not known. Where sites have been identified, surveys paint a gloomy picture. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/315329062_Ecological_assessment_of_the_oyster_Crassostrea_sikamea_population_and_associated_benthic_communities_on_restored_oyster_reefs_along_Jiangsu_Province_coast_China\">2013\u20132014 study<\/a> of one of the country\u2019s largest living oyster reefs in Liyashan, Jiangsu province found that its area had declined by nearly 40% over the previous decade, in large part due to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmars.2022.1051868\/full#B29\">excessive sedimentation<\/a> caused by coastal engineering projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are signs of hope though. A greater awareness of the importance of oyster reefs has led to a growing movement across the world to restore what has been lost. In China too, there are an increasing number of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tnc.org.cn\/edm\/China_Oyster_Reef_Research_Report.pdf\">restoration projects<\/a>, although efforts have been slower to gather momentum. Many of the projects are still in the pilot phase, conducted on a small scale to experiment with different methods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One such project is in Hong Kong\u2019s Pak Nai, where The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the University of Hong Kong have been working <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2022\/12\/restoring-hong-kongs-oyster-reefs-one-abandoned-oyster-farm-at-a-time\/\">since 2020<\/a> to rewild an abandoned oyster farm and study the area\u2019s biodiversity. When photographer Shanshan Kao visited, she found a muddy expanse dotted with old posts and piles of aquaculture debris. Up close though, they were covered in oysters and crawling with tiny crabs, snails and other marine species.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-mudflat-magroves_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-mudflat-magroves_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x431.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-mudflat-magroves_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-mudflat-magroves_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x786.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-mudflat-magroves_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1011.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-mudflat-magroves_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"Aerial view of mangrove trees on a muddy beach\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Pak Nai is an area of wetland in north-west Hong Kong. It sits facing the city of Shenzhen on the southern shore of Deep Bay (also known as Shenzhen Bay). Its muddy tidal flats still support patches of <a href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/nature\/mangrove-forests-protecting-the-pearl-river-delta-photo-journey\/\">mangrove<\/a> and seagrass, and are rich in biodiversity. Natural oyster reefs are often found seaward of coastal ecosystems like this, protecting them against erosion and promoting sedimentation by calming waters. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-mudflat-magroves_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1438\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-oyster-farm-posts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-oyster-farm-posts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-oyster-farm-posts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-oyster-farm-posts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-oyster-farm-posts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-oyster-farm-posts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"Someone pulling a concrete post out of the sand on a beach, holding a spade\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">There are very few <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/rec.13267\">natural oyster reefs<\/a> left around Hong Kong. But the bivalves have been farmed on the tidal flats of Deep Bay for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmars.2022.862548\/full\">hundreds of years<\/a>, not just for food but also for their shells, historically used to produce lime for construction and agriculture. The traditional \u201cbottom cultivation\u201d technique involves providing a hard substrate, such as concrete posts driven deep into the mud, for oyster larvae to naturally settle on. Covered with water at high tide, these artificial rocks soon become colonised by oysters that are left to grow for <a href=\"https:\/\/zolimacitymag.com\/what-will-save-hong-kong-700-year-old-oyster-farms-deep-bay\/\">five years<\/a> before being harvested. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-oyster-farm-posts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-Deep-Bay-oyster-rafts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-Deep-Bay-oyster-rafts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x431.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-Deep-Bay-oyster-rafts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-Deep-Bay-oyster-rafts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x786.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-Deep-Bay-oyster-rafts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1011.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-Deep-Bay-oyster-rafts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"Aerial view of a misty bay dotted with square rafts, cityscape in distance\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Since the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-1312\/10\/2\/237\">1970s<\/a>, Deep Bay\u2019s oyster farmers have used a new \u201coff-bottom\u201d method introduced from <a href=\"https:\/\/zolimacitymag.com\/what-will-save-hong-kong-700-year-old-oyster-farms-deep-bay\/\">Japan<\/a> whereby the oysters are grown on ropes hung into the water from bamboo rafts. The Hong Kong side of the bay is chock full of these rafts. It\u2019s not the same on the Shenzhen side, where oyster farming has been banned since the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/news\/hong-kong\/health-environment\/article\/3121651\/plagued-dwindling-harvests-and-shrinking\">early 2000s<\/a>. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-Deep-Bay-oyster-rafts_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1438\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-farmer-shucking-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-farmer-shucking-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-farmer-shucking-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-farmer-shucking-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-farmer-shucking-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-farmer-shucking-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A woman sat on a low stool next to a pile of oysters\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Oysters are still at the centre of life in the village of Lau Fau Shan, a few kilometres up the coast of Deep Bay from Pak Nai. But the area\u2019s traditional oyster farming industry has declined over the past few decades as many of the older generation retire, and the young seek opportunities elsewhere. The oysters are also suffering from the impacts of climate change and toxic algal blooms. In an effort to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ke.hku.hk\/story\/all\/how-science-is-saving-hong-kong-s-oyster-industry\">revive the industry<\/a>, scientists from the University of Hong Kong are monitoring how Lau Fau Shan\u2019s farmed oysters are responding to rising water temperatures and acidification, and experimenting with ways to remove contaminants so their meat is safe to eat. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-farmer-shucking-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-freshly-shucked-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-freshly-shucked-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-freshly-shucked-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-freshly-shucked-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-freshly-shucked-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-freshly-shucked-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"oysters submerged in water\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Some of Lau Fau Shan\u2019s oysters are sold fresh in Hong Kong\u2019s markets or made into oyster sauce. But the village is most famous for its \u201cgolden\u201d oysters, which are laid out on racks to dry in the sun, especially during the warm, clear winter months. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-freshly-shucked-oysters_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-sundried-oysters-on-racks_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-sundried-oysters-on-racks_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-sundried-oysters-on-racks_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-sundried-oysters-on-racks_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-sundried-oysters-on-racks_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-sundried-oysters-on-racks_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A woman lays out oysters to dry on racks\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Today, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eumofa.eu\/documents\/20178\/517783\/PTAT+Oyster_EN.pdf\/385bcceb-50f5-4f80-04a1-227416522434?t=1668076669628\">98%<\/a> of global oyster production comes from aquaculture, with China contributing 85%. Historically though, oysters were harvested from natural reefs. In places like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.0405150101\">United States and Australia<\/a>, this often involved the use of damaging and unsustainable techniques such as bottom dredging. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Lau-Fau-Shan-sundried-oysters-on-racks_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-abandoned-oyster-farm_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-abandoned-oyster-farm_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x431.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-abandoned-oyster-farm_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-abandoned-oyster-farm_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x786.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-abandoned-oyster-farm_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1011.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-abandoned-oyster-farm_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"Aerial view of a beach lined with rows of oyster reefs\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The general decline of oyster aquaculture in Deep Bay and the current predominance of the raft system has meant traditional intertidal oyster farms have been abandoned. At one of these farms in Pak Nai, left fallow for several years, scientists from the University of Hong Kong have discovered an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmars.2022.862548\/full#B50\">increase of biodiversity<\/a>. This natural recovery is thanks to the lack of disturbance. Not only does harvesting no longer take place, the site also continues to enjoy legal protection as an aquaculture lease. On the back of this, the researchers are now working with TNC to encourage the growth of oysters in more naturally structured reefs, in the hope that this will further promote biodiversity. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230113_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-aerial-of-abandoned-oyster-farm_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1438\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-old-oyster-farm-posts-in-piles_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-old-oyster-farm-posts-in-piles_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-old-oyster-farm-posts-in-piles_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-old-oyster-farm-posts-in-piles_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-old-oyster-farm-posts-in-piles_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-old-oyster-farm-posts-in-piles_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A pile of concrete posts encrusted with oyster shells\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The restoration of Pak Nai\u2019s abandoned oyster farm involves digging up its concrete posts. These were originally placed in neat lines to prevent the oysters from forming overly large or complex reef structures and allow for easy harvesting. The posts, which already have oysters and other species attached to them, are being moved closer to the low tide line where the bivalves are more likely to thrive, and piled up to create artificial \u201cstarter\u201d reefs. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-old-oyster-farm-posts-in-piles_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-crab-hiding-in-artificial-reef_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-crab-hiding-in-artificial-reef_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-crab-hiding-in-artificial-reef_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-crab-hiding-in-artificial-reef_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-crab-hiding-in-artificial-reef_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-crab-hiding-in-artificial-reef_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A crab crawls out from underneath a concrete post\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The starter reefs provide more natural, three-dimensional structures with plenty of hard surfaces for oyster larvae to attach to, as well as numerous nooks and crannies for other species. Elsewhere in Hong Kong, The Nature Conservancy is creating artificial reefs using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tnc.org.hk\/en-hk\/what-we-do\/hong-kong-projects\/less-trash-more-reefs\/\">recycled oyster shells<\/a> from the city\u2019s catering and aquaculture industries. These shells are first sent to be naturally weathered at the organisation\u2019s recycling point in Pak Nai, to make sure they are clean and free from disease. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-crab-hiding-in-artificial-reef_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-invasive-cordgrass_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-invasive-cordgrass_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-invasive-cordgrass_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-invasive-cordgrass_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-invasive-cordgrass_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-invasive-cordgrass_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"a clump of grass growing out of mud\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Oysters are just part of the picture at Pak Nai. To protect the area\u2019s biodiversity, TNC and other groups are attempting to remove <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpower.org.hk\/en\/eng-blog\/the-cordgrass-removal-action-team\">invasive salt-water cordgrass<\/a>, which can grow rapidly and overrun native habitats such as seagrass meadows and exposed mudflats. According to Zhang Zhaohui of China\u2019s Ministry of Natural Resources, salt-water cordgrass has become \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/conservation\/18560-the-grass-that-took-over-half-of-chinas-salt-marshes\/\">one of the biggest threats<\/a>\u201d to the country\u2019s coast since being introduced in the 1970s. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-digging-up-invasive-cordgrass_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-measuring-juvenile-horseshoe-crab_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-measuring-juvenile-horseshoe-crab_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-measuring-juvenile-horseshoe-crab_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-measuring-juvenile-horseshoe-crab_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-measuring-juvenile-horseshoe-crab_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-measuring-juvenile-horseshoe-crab_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A hand holds a horseshoe crab, while measuring with an orange instrument\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Pak Nai\u2019s wetlands are an important habitat for Hong Kong\u2019s two species of horseshoe crab, one of which (<em>Tachypleus tridentatus<\/em>) is listed as <a href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/conservation\/10410-chinese-horseshoe-crab-endangered\/\">endangered<\/a> on the International Union for Conservation of Nature\u2019s Red List. This is one reason the Hong Kong Marine Protection Alliance is calling for Pak Nai \u2013 already a site of special scientific interest \u2013 to be designated a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wwf.org.hk\/en\/oceans\/protection\/pak-nai\/\">marine protected area<\/a>. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-measuring-juvenile-horseshoe-crab_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-Tom-Chan-records-horseshoe-crab-measurement_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-Tom-Chan-records-horseshoe-crab-measurement_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-Tom-Chan-records-horseshoe-crab-measurement_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-Tom-Chan-records-horseshoe-crab-measurement_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-Tom-Chan-records-horseshoe-crab-measurement_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-Tom-Chan-records-horseshoe-crab-measurement_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A man takes notes on a clipboard standing on a beach by mangrove trees\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">As part of their project to encourage the growth of oyster reefs in the area, TNC is monitoring the horseshoe crab population, and has already noted a slow <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2022\/12\/restoring-hong-kongs-oyster-reefs-one-abandoned-oyster-farm-at-a-time\/\">increase<\/a> in numbers over the past three years. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-Tom-Chan-records-horseshoe-crab-measurement_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-TNC-conservation-education-manager-Tom-Chan_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-TNC-conservation-education-manager-Tom-Chan_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-TNC-conservation-education-manager-Tom-Chan_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-TNC-conservation-education-manager-Tom-Chan_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-TNC-conservation-education-manager-Tom-Chan_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean-1800x1200.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-TNC-conservation-education-manager-Tom-Chan_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"A man stands in the open doorway of a cluttered shed, holding a wicker basket\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Tom Chan Tsz-kin is TNC\u2019s community conservation manager in Hong Kong. As well as its habitat management work at Pak Nai, the organisation also offers educational tours to raise awareness of the importance of oyster reefs and the protection of wetland ecosystems. Public and community engagement are key to the success of projects like this. But Hong Kong\u2019s coastline continues to face pressure from development. And with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.policyaddress.gov.hk\/2021\/eng\/pdf\/publications\/Northern\/Northern-Metropolis-Development-Strategy-Report.pdf\">Northern Metropolis<\/a> megaproject threatening to transform the relatively rural landscape of the New Territories, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wwf.org.hk\/en\/enewsletter\/2023\/aug_2023\/towards_a_sustainable_northern_metropolis\/\">conservationists fear<\/a> the pressure on Deep Bay\u2019s important wetlands will grow. (Image: Shanshan Kao \/ China Dialogue Ocean)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/20230107_Hong-Kong-Pak-Nai-TNC-conservation-education-manager-Tom-Chan_ShanshanKao_ChinaDialogueOcean.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Oyster reefs are one of the world\u2019s most imperilled coastal ecosystems, but the benefits of bringing them back are now being demonstrated on the mudflats of Deep Bay<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":40093755,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[50039901],"tags":[511,523],"country":[],"class_list":["post-40093724","photo_story","type-photo_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ocean","tag-biodiversity","tag-conservation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v26.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Restoring Hong Kong&#039;s oyster reefs: a photo story<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The benefits of bringing back oyster reefs are now being demonstrated on the mudflats of Deep Bay, Hong Kong\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/ocean\/restoring-hong-kongs-oyster-reefs-a-photo-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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