1

DECEMBER 2013

Photo Identification Information

Table 1. Sightings of Individually Identified Chinese White Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) between March 2012 – December 2013

Identification Number	Baseline Identification Number	Date (YYYY-MM-DD)	Sighting Number	Area Sighted
HZMB 116		2013-12-26	879	NWL
HZMB 115		2013-12-26	879	NWL
HZMB 114		2013-10-24	827	NWL
HZMB 113		2013-10-24	827	NWL
HZMB 112		2013-10-15	815	NWL
HZMB111		2013-10-15	815	NWL
HZMB 110		2013-10-15	812	NWL
HZMB 108		2013-08-30	780	NEL
HZMB 107		2013-08-21	770	NWL
HZMB 106		2013-08-21	769	NWL
HZMB 105		2013-07-08	711	NWL
HZMB 104		2013-07-08	711	NWL
HZMB 103		2013-07-08	711	NWL
HZMB 102		2013-07-08	706	NWL
HZMB 101		2013-07-08	706	NWL
HZMB 100		2013-07-08	706	NWL
HZMB 099		2013-06-13 2013-06-13	681 680	NWL NWL
HZMB 098	NL104	2013-11-02 2013-11-02 2013-10-24 2013-07-08 2013-05-24	849 845 831 711 659	NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 097		2013-05-09	647	NWL
HZMB 096		2013-04-01	621	NWL

Identification Number	Baseline Identification Number	Date (YYYY-MM-DD)	Sighting Number	Area Sighted
HZMB 095		2013-08-30 2013-06-25 2013-06-13 2013-04-01	780 697 682 621	NEL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 094		2013-06-26 2013-06-25 2013-03-18	703 698 601	NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 093		2013-05-24 2013-02-21	657 587	NWL NWL
HZMB 092		2013-02-21 2013-02-15	589 581	NWL NWL
HZMB 091		2013-02-15	579	NWL
HZMB 090		2013-06-25 2013-06-13 2013-02-15	697 682 579	NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 089		2013-02-15	579	NWL
HZMB 088		2013-02-15	579	NWL
HZMB 087		2013-02-15	579	NWL
HZMB 086	NL242	2013-05-09 2013-02-15 2011-10-10	642 579 Baseline	NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 085		2013-06-26 2013-02-15	703 579	NWL NWL
HZMB 084		2013-02-14	575	NWL
HZMB 083	NL136	2013-12-19 2013-03-28 2013-02-15 2013-01-28 2012-01-28	863 607 579 568 564	NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL
Identification Number	Baseline Identification Number	Date (YYYY-MM-DD)	Sighting Number	Area Sighted
HZMB 082		2013-02-21 2013-02-15 2013-01-28	587 579 563	NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 081		2013-01-28 2013-01-28	559 557	NWL NWL
HZMB 080		2013-01-28	556	NWL
HZMB 079		2013-01-28	556	NWL
HZMB 078		2013-02-15 2013-01-08	579 552	NWL NWL
HZMB 077		2013-12-26 2013-07-08 2012-12-11	878 706 541	NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 076		2013-07-08 2012-12-11	706 541	NWL NWL
HZMB 075		2012-12-06	525	NEL
HZMB 074		2013-05-09 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 2013-02-21 2012-12-10 2012-12-06	647 623 621 594 529 525	NWL NWL NWL NEL NEL NEL
HZMB 073		2013-05-09 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 2013-02-21 2012-12-10 2012-12-06	647 623 621 594 529 525	NWL NWL NWL NEL NEL NEL
HZMB 072		2012-10-24	476	NWL

Identification Number	Baseline Identification Number	Date (YYYY-MM-DD)	Sighting Number	Area Sighted
HZMB 071		2012-10-24 2012-10-12	475 466	NWL NWL
HZMB 070		2012-10-24	476	NWL
HZMB 069		2013-08-21 2013-07-08 2012-10-24	774 711 476	NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 068		2013-11-01 2012-10-24	839 476	NWL NWL
HZMB 067		2012-10-24	475	NWL
HZMB 066	NL93	2013-01-28 2012-12-11 2012-10-24 2012-10-12	559 537 475 466	NWL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 064		2013-05-09 2013-01-28 2012-10-24 2012-10-12	647 561 475 466	NWL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 063		2013-05-09 2012-10-12	647 466	NWL NWL
HZMB 062		2012-12-06 2012-10-11	525 457	NEL NWL
HZMB 060		2012-09-18	447	NWL
HZMB 059		2013-02-21 2012-09-18	591 445	NWL NWL
HZMB 057		2012-09-18	440	NWL
HZMB 056		2012-09-18 2012-09-05	442 433	NWL NEL

Identification Number	Baseline Identification Number	Date (YYYY-MM-DD)	Sighting Number	Area Sighted
HZMB 055		2012-09-04	425	NWL
HZMB 054	CH34	2013-11-07 2013-11-02 2013-10-24 2013-08-30 2013-07-08 2013-09-18 2012-09-05 2011-11-07 2011-11-05 2011-11-02 2011-11-01 2011-11-01 2011-10-28 2011-10-06	854 845 831 780 711 448 432 Baseline Baseline Baseline Baseline Baseline Baseline Baseline	NWL NWL NWL NEL NWL NWL NEL NWL NWL NWL NEL NEL NWL NWL
HZMB 053		2012-09-04	425	NWL
HZMB 052		2012-09-04	423	NWL
HZMB 051	NL213	2013-05-09 2013-04-01 2013-02-15 2013-02-15 2013-01-28 2013-01-28 2012-09-04	644 622 582 581 559 556 422	NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 050		2013-02-15 2012-09-04	579 421	NWL NWL
HZMB 049		2012-09-03	419	NWL
HZMB 048		2012-09-03	419	NWL
Identification Number	Baseline Identification Number	Date (YYYY-MM-DD)	Sighting Number	Area Sighted
HZMB 047		2012-09-03	412	NWL
HZMB 046		2012-09-03	412	NWL
HZMB 045		2013-06-13 2013-02-15 2012-11-01	682 579 495	NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 044	NL98	2013-12-19 2013-11-02 2013-11-01 2013-10-15 2013-05-09 2013-05-09 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 2013-02-15 2012-11-01	864 845 842 819 648 647 623 621 579 495	NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 043		2012-09-03	407	NWL
HZMB 042	NL260	2013-12-19 2012-11-01 2011-11-07	863 495 Baseline	NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 041	NL24	2013-11-02 2013-05-09 2013-05-09 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 2013-02-15 2012-11-01 2011-11-06 2011-11-05 2011-11-05 2011-10-10	845 648 647 623 621 579 495 Baseline Baseline Baseline Baseline	NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NEL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 040		2013-10-15 2013-07-08 2013-07-08 2013-02-21 2012-11-01	821 714 711 589 493	NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL
Identification Number	Baseline Identification Number	Date (YYYY-MM-DD)	Sighting Number	Area Sighted
HZMB 038		2012-11-01	490	NWL
HZMB 037		2012-11-01	490	NWL
HZMB 036		2012-09-03 2012-11-01	407 490	NWL NWL
HZMB 035		2013-02-15 2012-11-01	579 490	NWL NWL
HZMB 034		2012-11-01	493	NWL
HZMB 028		2013-04-01 2012-08-06	625 373	NWL NWL
HZMB 027		2013-12-19 2013-02-15 2013-01-28 2013-01-28 2012-06-14	863 579 568 564 299	NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 026		2013-06-25 2013-05-09 2013-01-28 2012-06-13	697 642 561 295	NWL NWL NWL NEL
HZMB 025		2013-02-22 2013-02-21 2012-12-06 2012-10-11 2012-06-13	596 591 525 457 295	NEL NWL NEL NWL NEL
HZMB 024		2013-03-18 2012-06-13	601 295	NWL NEL
HZMB 023		2013-07-08 2013-07-08 2013-04-01 2013-02-21 2013-02-15 2012-07-10	715 711 619 589 579 330	NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL

Identification Number	Baseline Identification Number	Date (YYYY-MM-DD)	Sighting Number	Area Sighted
HZMB 022		2013-10-24 2013-07-08 2013-07-08 2013-04-01 2013-02-21 2013-02-15 2012-07-10	827 715 711 619 589 579 330	NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 021	NL37	2012-07-10 2011-09-16	330 Baseline	NWL NWL
HZMB 020		2012-07-10	330	NWL
HZMB 019		2012-07-10	330	NWL
HZMB 018		2013-05-09 2013-02-21 2012-12-10 2012-07-10	647 594 529 330	NWL NEL NEL NWL
HZMB 017		2012-07-10	330	NWL
HZMB 016		2013-07-08 2012-12-11 2012-09-18 2012-09-04 2012-07-10	706 539 446 421 330	NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 015		2012-07-10	330	NEL
HZMB 014	NL176	2013-12-26 2012-08-06 2012-06-13 2011-11-06 2011-11-01 2011-11-01	880 373 295 Baseline Baseline Baseline	NWL NWL NEL NEL NEL NEL
HZMB 013		2012-05-28	281	NWL
Identification Number	Baseline Identification Number	Date (YYYY-MM-DD)	Sighting Number	Area Sighted
HZMB 012		2012-05-28	281	NWL
HZMB 011	EL01	2013-02-22 2013-02-21 2013-02-14 2012-11-06 2012-09-19 2012-03-31 2011-11-02 2011-11-01	597 592 572 517 452 261 Baseline Baseline	NEL NEL NEL NEL NWL NEL NWL NEL
HZMB 009		2012-05-28	281	NWL
HZMB 008		2012-05-28	281	NWL
HZMB 007	NL246	2012-12-10	529	NEL
HZMB 006		2013-02-21 2012-12-11 2012-11-01 2012-03-29	594 539 495 250	NEL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 005		2013-11-09 2013-11-07 2013-10-15 2012-12-10 2012-08-06 2012-05-28	860 858 813 532 374 287	NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL NWL
HZMB 004		2012-09-04 2012-03-31	421 262	NWL NWL

Identification Number

Baseline Identification Number

Date

(YYYY-MM-DD)

Sighting Number

Area Sighted

HZMB 003

NL179

2014-10-15

2013-06-25

2012-12-10

2012-03-31

2011-11-06

2011-09-16

812

697

529

261

Baseline

NWL

NEL

NWL

NEL

NWL

HZMB 002

WL111

2013-12-26

2013-12-19

2013-11-01

2013-10-15

2013-09-24

2013-02-14

2012-12-11

2012-10-12

2012-10-24

2012-05-28

2012-03-29

878

863

839

819

798

573

536

535

466

475

281

250

NWL

HZMB 001

WL46

2013-08-21

2013-06-13

2013-04-01

2013-02-14

2012-03-29

771

681

617

573

250

NWL

Identification Number	Baseline Identification Number	Date (YYYY-MM-DD)	Sighting Number	Area Sighted
	CH98	2011-11-02	Baseline	NWL
	NL11	2011-11-02 2011-11-07	Baseline Baseline		NWL NWL
	NL12	2011-11-02	Baseline		NWL
	NL33	2011-09-23 2011-11-01 2011-11-05 2011-11-07	Baseline Baseline Baseline Baseline		NWL NEL NWL NWL
	NL37	2011-09-16	Baseline		NWL
	NL46	2011-10-28	Baseline		NWL

Investigation on Shifted Transect Lines by Temporary Silt Curtain

Investigation on Shifted Transect Lines by Temporary Silt Curtain (Revised on 17 Feb 14)

Narrative of the observations:

Route travelled on CWD line transect surveys conducted in December 2013 and January 2014 shifted slightly to the east at the northern end of transect line 11 due to works at HKBCF. Survey will be taken as close to transect 11 as possible. IEC and RSS was informed on 7 January 2013 and investigation started on 9 January 2013 after request for investigation received from IEC on the same date.

Action taken:

Site visit was conducted on 16 January 2014, together with data review by the dolphin specialist to investigate the condition on layout of the silt curtain for any significant effect on dolphin monitoring, analyses and dolphin behaviour is as followed:

Site Condition and layout of the perimeter silt curtain

Figure 1. Silt curtain layout and corresponding photo code which shows the location where photos were taken.

Photo records of the perimeter silt curtain (Photos taken on 16 Jan 14).


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Dolphin specialist’s review on any effect to dolphin monitoring, analyses and dolphin behaviour:

Temporary Nature of Current Silt Curtain Deployment

During impact monitoring the four sightings noted occurred in July (1), August (1), September (1) and November (1). There were no sightings made during impact surveys in NEL between March 2012 and June 2012. In general, NEL is most frequented during the “summer” months which is outside the period proposed for silt curtain re-alignment.

Proportion of Habitat Affected

The temporary shift in the silt curtain at Line 11 increases the area inside the silt curtain by 30ha (incl. reclamation site). This is 0.5% of the NEL habitat (land masses excluded). It is not uncommon for dolphins in NEL to also be recorded in NWL. Therefore, the area of habitat which is unavailable is 0.2% of NWL and NEL combined (excluding land masses but not excluding habitat loss from HKLR Project). Further, it is noted that many individual dolphins use NEL, NWL as well as WL and waters in Chinese mainland (AFCD 2013 Annual Dolphin Monitoring Report) i.e., the habitat available to CWD extends throughout the Pearl River Estuary. From what is recorded by AFCD monitoring data and HZMB baseline information, no unique or significant proportion of habitat is being made unavailable to dolphins under the proposed temporary arrangement.

Dolphin (Line Transect) Monitoring and Analyses

On analyses of line transect data, the effective strip width (ESW) is the unit which is used to calculate density. The ESW is calculated from the PSD data collected during the line transect. The ESW allows us to calculate an area in which dolphin numbers are recorded and from this we calculate density. When there are irregular coastlines, islands or manmade obstacles which obscure part of the ESW, the area that cannot be viewed is subtracted from the ESW area. So, in the instance of transect 11, the west side of the line has not been included as part of the NEL area available for dolphin monitoring as it is a land reclamation site and not available for dolphins to inhabit. As the silt curtains have only shifted approximately 200m length of transect and less than 200m to the east, the ESW stays the same on the eastern side of transect 11 without impinging on the ESW of transect 12 therefore, is no overlap between the transects ESW. When overall area calculations are made, the portion of NEL now occupied by the extended silt curtain will be extracted from the overall area. Area will be systematically re-calculated throughout the NEL/NWL habitat for the duration of the impact monitoring as the area surveyed will change over time as various marine works alter the shape of the NEL/NWL habitat. This will not alter the comparability of density calculations.

The analyses conducted for SPSE and DPSE relies on calculating the density for each 1km² box straddling the transect lines. If a line shift within a box, as is the case for the silt curtain at the end of line 11, then the unit of effort within the box remains the same as it did before the silt curtain moved. If the unit of effort stays the same, the densities can be compared across previous times directly. If the shift in transect is to take it completely out the box, then the boxes effected may need not be removed from SPSE and DPSE calculations. This is not the case with the current situation at line transect 11. According to the preliminary assessment and review provided by the dolphin specialist, the shift in the transect line is insignificant and will not affect the overall dolphin survey and analysis.

Summary Baseline Data and Impact Data (2012-2013) with Relevance to Behaviour

The methodology statement for the baseline report notes that a behavioural category is assigned to each sighting and then each behavior is plotted on a map. There is no analyses of behavioural data as such with regards to frequency, correction for effort, comparison of trends with previous or historic data, etc. The report lists 17 sightings in all of NEL during the baseline survey of which 12 were recorded over 3 days in a one week period in November 2011. There was clearly high variation in encounter frequency in NEL during the baseline survey; therefore it would have made any analyses of such few data problematic (Baseline report Appendix III). Of the 17 sightings, only two were immediately adjacent to HKBCF at transect line 11 (Baseline report Fig 2) which is 11.7% of all NEL sightings. The baseline report presents behavioural information for only two of the 17 sightings made in NEL; both feeding activities at line transect 10 and 11 (Baseline report Fig 9;10). As there is no behavioural data presented for any other sightings in NEL, it is not possible to review the relative importance of the single groups behavior at transect 11 with respect to any future impact or establishing any “common” or “usual” behaviour.

The impact monitoring conducted for HKBCF between March 2012 and February 2013 allows a review of a years behavioural information which has been looked at in a little more depth, i.e., frequency of occurrence, seasonal change, however, it is also noted no extensive behavioural analyses has been conducted for this period, again, largely due to the paucity of sightings. Of the 36 sightings made in NEL throughout the year, only four were recorded in the vicinity of line transect 11 (11.1%). This is similar to the percentage of total sightings which were recorded during baseline monitoring. It appears that line transect 11 is not an area of high occurrence according to both baseline and impact monitoring sightings. The behaviours recorded at line transect 11 were feeding (2) and milling (2). Milling often occurs after successful foraging bouts and could be associated with feeding behavior. The prime feeding areas for CWD has consistently been recorded in NWL in particularly at Sha Chau Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park, during baseline and impact monitoring as well as historically in AFCD records. No behaviour has been recorded at the northern end of line transect 11 that is not extensively recorded elsewhere in both NEL and NWL and as such, there is no evidence to suggest that the temporary re-alignment in the silt curtain will affect the dolphins behaviour.

Conclusion

Given that only < 0.2 % percent of known dolphin habitat will be temporarily unavailable to dolphins in a time when the immediate environs are rarely used by dolphins and where there is no highly associated or unique behavior recorded, it can be concluded that the proposed temporary shift in silt curtain has no discernible effect on dolphin monitoring, analyses and behaviour in either the short or long term.

Figure 1. Silt curtain layout and corresponding photo code which shows the location where photos were taken.

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