After the Harvest: Deep Bay Fishponds and Waterbirds

In Deep Bay, operators participating in government-supported management agreement projects drain down fishponds after harvest. As the water falls, small fish with little economic value become food for waterbirds. This is not an abandoned pond: operators continue to manage it as a working farm, while one stage of the harvest cycle creates a feeding opportunity. The projects depend on cooperation between fishpond operators and local non-profit organizations.

These ponds sit within a much larger wetland system. AFCD describes the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site as an important feeding and resting ground for wintering and migratory birds. Hong Kong lies along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, and the region's mudflats, mangroves, fishponds and other wetlands offer different habitats. A working fishpond is one part of this coastal mosaic; its role changes with the season and the way it is managed.

The management agreement projects have two linked aims: enhance fishponds' ecological functions and preserve traditional fish farming as local cultural heritage. AFCD also reports bird surveys and public education activities, including talks and workshops. The partnership recognizes that conservation here involves both habitat and the people who work it. The ponds remain part of a living livelihood as well as a wetland system used by birds.