Tai O was formerly one of the largest fishing villages in Hong Kong and was a historical case for fishing boats in the western approaches of Lantau Island and the Pearl River estuary. However, the importance of the fishing industry in Tai O has declined in recent decades, which has resulted in a degradation of its population base.

The formation of the Tai O sheltered boat anchorage is fully supported by the Islands Provisional District Board members and is widely seen as a means of reviving the town's local fishing industry and contributing to the revitalization of Tai O.

Previous consultancies undertaken on behalf of the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) to determine the feasibility of construction a sheltered boat anchorage (Agreement No. CE 41/98) Environmental and Drainage Impact Assessment for the Tai O Sheltered Boat Anchorage Study. The original development scheme comprised an 8 ha anchorage for 220 vessels and about 1 ha reclamation for boat maintenance facilities, parking area, bus terminus and a loading/unloading bay.

The original development scheme has been gazetted under the Foreshore & Sea-bed (Reclamations) Ordinance in December 2000. Following public consultation and interdepartmental discussion, the scope of the scheme was revised in the adoption of the current development scheme with a reduced area of boat anchorage, shortened breakwater and reduced area of reclamation.

The project now comprises construction of a 4 ha sheltered boat anchorage for small boats/fishing vessels and a breakwater of about 350 m length, formation of about 0.22 ha of land for a future bus terminus, construction of a 0.23 ha promenade, site formation and associated engineering works for a mangrove planting area and restoration of the existing historic seawall.

An Environmental Permit No. EP-144/2002 was issued on 11 Sep 2002 for this project (EP) to the Civil Engineering and Development Department as Permit Holder. An updated Environmental Monitoring and Audit Manual (the EM&A Manual) was prepared to fulfill requirement stipulated in Condition 2.3 of the EP.

The works of the Project is constructed under CEDD's construction Contract No. CV/2002/09 "Tai O Development - Sheltered Boat Anchorage". The Project works were commenced on 14th April 2003.

This webpage is prepared by CINOTECH to provide all the environmental monitoring data collected since the commencement of works and other relevant environmental links for the Project.