Hong Kong wants the power to clear the water, fast, when a whale or dolphin needs protecting

Hong Kong has published a bill that would let its Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation declare temporary marine restricted areas whenever whales or dolphins — cetaceans — appear in local waters and need protection. Crowds and boats drawn to a visiting whale can distress the animal and obstruct rescues; the new areas would let officials restrict people, vessels and activities quickly and flexibly, then lift the controls when the animal moves on. Two legislative panels consulted earlier this year backed the idea, and the bill gets its first readings on 11 November.

SDG 14 · Life below water — Mechanism: policy reform