6.1
According to Section 10 of the EM&A Manual,
four kinds of ecological monitoring works are required during the construction
phase, namely dolphin monitoring, construction-phase underwater noise
monitoring, dolphin behavior monitoring and land-based dolphin behavior and
movement monitoring.
6.2
The monitoring work shall be undertaken by
suitably qualified specialist(s), (i.e. dolphin specialist and
bio-acoustician), who shall have sufficient (at least 5-10 years) relevant
post-graduate experience and publication in the respective aspects. They should
be approved by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and
Environmental Protection Department (EPD).
6.3
According to EM&A Manual Section 10.3.2, a
dolphin monitoring programme should be set up to
verify the predictions of impacts and to ensure that there are no unforeseen
impacts on the dolphin population during construction phase.
6.4
Following the requirement in the EM&A Manual Section 10.4.1, the dolphin monitoring
should adopt line-transect vessel survey method, and cover the following
line-transect survey areas as in AFCD annual marine mammal monitoring programme.
6.5
For this contract, dolphin monitoring will be
carried out in the West Lantau (WL) along the line
transect as depicted in Figure 1 of Appendix I-1. The
co-ordinates of all transect lines are shown in Table 6.1.
Table
6.1 Co-ordinates
of transect lines in WL survey area
|
Line No. |
Easting |
Northing |
Line No. |
Easting |
Northing |
||
|
1 |
Start Point |
803750 |
818500 |
7 |
Start Point |
800200 |
810450 |
|
1 |
End Point |
803750 |
815500 |
7 |
End Point |
801400 |
810450 |
|
2 |
Start Point |
803750 |
815500 |
8 |
Start Point |
801300 |
809450 |
|
2 |
End Point |
802940 |
815500 |
8 |
End Point |
799750 |
809450 |
|
3 |
Start Point |
802550 |
814500 |
9 |
Start Point |
799400 |
808450 |
|
3 |
End Point |
803700 |
814500 |
9 |
End Point |
801430 |
808450 |
|
4 |
Start Point |
803120 |
813600 |
10 |
Start Point |
801500 |
807450 |
|
4 |
End Point |
801640 |
813600 |
10 |
End Point |
799600 |
807450 |
|
5 |
Start Point |
801100 |
812450 |
11 |
Start Point |
800300 |
806500 |
|
5 |
End Point |
802900 |
812450 |
11 |
End Point |
801750 |
806500 |
|
6 |
Start Point |
802400 |
811500 |
12 |
Start Point |
801760 |
805450 |
|
6 |
End Point |
800660 |
811500 |
12 |
End Point |
800700 |
805450 |
6.6
Dolphin transect survey was carried out at least
twice a month (i.e. complete all the transect lines of West Lantau
survey area twice per month) throughout the construction period.
6.7
Dolphin monitoring was carried out on 6th
and 14th May 2013. The dolphin
monitoring schedule for the reporting period is shown in Appendix D.
6.8
From
these surveys, a total of 65.3 km of survey effort was collected, with 90.2% of
the total survey effort being conducted under favourable
weather conditions. Out of the 65.3
km of survey effort, the total survey effort conducted on primary lines (the
vertical lines perpendicular to the coastlines) was 43.7 km.
6.9
7 groups of 19 Chinese White Dolphins were
sighted from primary lines, mainly made at the middle and southern portion of
the WL survey area, and were located at a distance from the HKLR09 alignment. One
of the dolphin groups was associated with a gillnet
fishing vessel.
6.10 Dolphin
encounter rates deduced from the survey effort and on-effort sighting data made
under favourable conditions (Beaufort 3 or below) are
shown in Table 6.2.
Table 6.2 Dolphin
encounter rates (sightings per 100 km of survey effort) in May’s surveys
|
|
Encounter rate
(STG) (no. of on-effort dolphin sightings per 100 km of
survey effort) |
Encounter rate
(ANI)
(no. of dolphins from all
on-effort sightings per 100 km of survey effort) |
|
|
Primary Lines Only |
Primary Lines Only |
||
|
WL |
Set 1: May 6th |
9.8 |
31.3 |
|
Set 2: May 14th |
21.5 |
59.1 |
|
6.11 A
total of nine re-sightings of known individual Chinese White Dolphins were made
during the May’s surveys.
6.12 No
adverse impact on Chinese white dolphins was noticeable from general
observations.
6.13 Evaluation
of impacts on dolphins due to construction work will be conducted in the
quarterly EM&A report.
6.14 Detailed
monitoring methodology and results can be found in Appendix I-1.
6.15 According
to EM&A Manual Section 10.3.3 and 10.4.2, construction-phase underwater noise
monitoring has to be carried out to verify the assessment outcome in the EIA
and to collect field data of this construction activity. The actual underwater noise level of bored
piling will be monitored during the pile construction in the waters to the west
of the Airport for HKLR.
6.16 Following
the requirement in the EM&A Manual Section 10.6.2,
construction-phase underwater noise
monitoring will be constructed for 10 days from the start of the bored piling
activities for the first three pier sites during the bored piling process in
the first three sits in the waters to the west of Airport.
6.17 Since the Environmental Permit Condition 3.1
stipulates that no underwater sockets into rock can be carried out for marine
bored piles in West Lantau in May and June and
therefore no underwater noise monitoring were performed in the reporting month.
The underwater noise monitoring will be continued in July 2013 so that 30 days
results from the start of the bored piling activities for the first three pier
sites can be collected.
6.18 According
to EM&A Manual Section 10.3.4, acoustic behavior
and movement of Chinese White Dolphin near the bored piling sites should be
monitored during bridge construction.
6.19 Since the Environmental Permit Condition 3.1
stipulates that no underwater sockets into rock can be carried out for marine
bored piles in West Lantau in May and June and
therefore no dolphin behavior monitoring (acoustic) were performed in the
reporting month. The dolphin behavior monitoring (acoustic) will be continued in
July 2013 so that 30 days results from the start of the bored piling activities
for the first three pier sites can be collected.
6.20 According
to EM&A Manual Section 10.3.5, land-based theodolite
tracking has to be carry out to study dolphin behaviour
near bored piling work site, and examine their north-south movement across the
bridge alignment during after bridge construction.
6.21 Following
the requirement in the EM&A Manual Section 10.4.3
and 10.6.3, the monitoring should be conducted at the three pier sites for 30
days from the start of bored piling activities in the waters to the west of
Airport.
6.22 Since the Environmental Permit Condition 3.1
stipulates that no underwater sockets into rock can be carried out for marine
bored piles in West Lantau in May and June and
therefore no land-based dolphin behavior and movement monitoring were performed
in the reporting month. The land-based dolphin behavior and movement monitoring
will be continued in July 2013 so that 30 days results from the start of the
bored piling activities for the first three pier sites can be collected.