12^th Post-Translocation Monitoring Report (July 2023)

Northeast New Territories Landfill Extension (NENTX) | Contract No. EP/SP/77/15

0092/22/ED/0398 01 | 13 July 2023

Draft

Veolia Environmental Services Hong Kong Ltd.

Document Control

Document Information

Project Title	Northeast New Territories Landfill Extension (NENTX) \| Contract No. EP/SP/77/15
Document Title	12^th Post-Translocation Monitoring Report (July 2023)
Fugro Project No.	0092-22
Fugro Document No.	0092/22/ED/0398
Issue Number	01
Issue Status	Draft
Fugro Legal Entity	Fugro Technical Services Limited
Issuing Office Address	13/F, Fugro House – KCC2, 1 Kwai On Rd, Kwai Chung, NT, Hong Kong

Client Information

Client	Veolia Environmental Services Hong Kong Ltd.
Client Address	40/F, One Taikoo Place, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
Client Contact	Mr. William Wan
Client Document No.	NENTX-FUG-RP-E-EM-015-I01

Document History

Issue	Date	Status	Comments on Content	Prepared By	Checked By	Approved By
01	13 July 2023	Draft	Awaiting Client’s Comments	AY	FN	CY

Project Team

Initials	Name	Role
CY	Colin Yung	Project Manager
FN	Fenelyn Nabuab	Ecologist
SMR	Sheila Marie Rabi	GIS Specialist/ Ecologist
AY	Andy Yuen	Assistant Environmental Consultant
IEC	Meinhardt (Hong Kong) Limited	Independent Environmental Checker
ET	Aurecon (Hong Kong) Limited	Environmental Team

Contents

1. Introduction 1

1.2 Purpose of this Document 1

1.3 Structure of the Report 1

2. Mark-Recapture Methodology 2

2.2 The Monitoring Area 2

2.3 Personnel 3

2.4 Mark-Recapture Activity 3

2.4.2 Hand Netting 3

2.4.3 Kick-netting 4

2.4.4 Direct Observation 4

2.4.5 Marking 5

3. Survey Results 5

4. Post-translocation Monitoring Schedule and Area 6

5. Summary and Conclusion 6

6. References 6

Appendices

Appendix A Monitoring Area 7

Appendix B Special Permit under Cap. 170 9

Appendix C Fieldwork Datasheet 13

List of Plates in the Main Text

Photo 2.1: Section of the monitoring area with low gradient and low water flow 2

Photo 2.2: Hand netting at a potential habitat (vegetation) along the watercourse 3

Photo 2.3: Surveyor kick-netting the substrate and checking the net’s contents 4

Photo 2.4: Surveyor searching for S. zanklon on potential hiding space (under vegetation) along the watercourse 4

Photo 3.1: Site photos of the monitoring area 5

Photo 3.2: Site photos of the monitoring area further down stream 5

1. Introduction

1.1.1 The North East New Territories Landfill Extension (the NENTX Project) is a designated project. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report was approved with conditions on 20 September 2007 (AEIAR-111/2007) and the Environmental Permit (EP) EP-292/2007 (the “EP) was issued on 26 November 2007. Additionally, a Further Environmental Permit FEP-01/292/2007 (the “FEP”) was also issued under the EIA Ordinance on 28 April 2022.

1.1.2 In order to fulfil FEP conditions 2.6 and 2.8 on the post-translocation monitoring of the endemic freshwater crab Somanniathelphusa zanklon, a survey shall be carried out to monitor the establishment and effectiveness of the measures for the endemic S. zanklon community in the translocated site.

1.1.3 The post-translocation monitoring methodology shall be in accordance with the approved Revised Translocation Proposal for the Endemic Freshwater Crab Somanniathelphusa zanklon (NENTX-FUG-RP-E-EM-I01 Revised Translocation Proposal) (the “approved Proposal”). The approved Proposal was agreed upon with the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD).

1.1.4 The NENTX Design-Build-Operate (DBO) Contractor, on behalf of EPD/LDG, is responsible for carrying out the post-translocation monitoring works in accordance with the approved Proposal.

1.1.5 The NENTX DBO contract was awarded to Veolia Environmental Services Hong Kong Ltd. (Veolia) and Fugro Technical Services Limited (Fugro) was appointed by Veolia to implement the post-translocation monitoring works in accordance with the approved Proposal.

1.3 Structure of the Report

1.3.1 Succeeding this Section 1 Introduction, the remainder of this Report is presented as follows:

§ Section 2 details the methodology of the mark-recapture activity;

§ Section 3 presents the survey results of mark-recapture activity;

§ Section 4 details the post-translocation monitoring schedule; and

§ Section 5 presents the summary and conclusion.

2. Mark-Recapture Methodology

2.1.1 This section presents the methodology and approach of the post-translocation mark-recapture monitoring in accordance with Section 4 of the approved Proposal; and in fulfilment of FEP conditions 2.6 and 2.8 and Conditions of EIAR Approval No. 4 for the NENTX Project.

2.2 The Monitoring Area

2.2.1 The Recipient Site (the “Monitoring Area”) (Appendix A) is the site where the eight individuals of S. zanklon were translocated during capture-translocation surveys conducted from 21 to 24 July 2022.

2.2.2 The Monitoring Area is located at the middle section of Ping Yuen River tributary, and adjacent to Ping Yuen Road, to the north of Ping Yeung Village. In this tributary, S. zanklon was previously recorded during the approved EIA studies (i.e., EIA-133/2007 and EIA-190/2010) (ERM, 2022) suggesting that this watercourse is suitable for S. zanklon.

2.2.3 Although channelisation features (e.g., concrete bank and gabions) and an inflatable water dam are present about 100m to the east, the monitoring area is still considered largely natural with a low gradient and low water flow (see Photo 2.1). The streambed is mainly covered by soil and stream banks are vegetated with grass. This area meets the habitat requirements of the species. The soft soil stream substrate and the availability of riparian vegetation are ideal for S. zanklon to create microhabitat to inhabit. In addition, the natural meander would also reduce the water flow, which is preferred by the S. zanklon. It is anticipated that pollution or disturbance would be in a low level in this section, considering there is limited roads and houses (and therefore limited human activities) until the stream reaches Kan Tau Wai and Tong Fong along Ping Che Road.


Photo 2.1: Section of the monitoring area with low gradient and low water flow

2.4 Mark-Recapture Activity

2.4.1.1 The twelfth mark-recapture activity was conducted on 12th July 2023 during night-time period. Hand netting and kick sampling in the monitoring area were conducted. In addition, direct observation was also conducted along the stream riparian zone to search for S. zanklon in their potential hiding spaces (e.g. under rocks and fallen tree branches). Permit under Cap. 170 was obtained from AFCD before the use of nets to collect freshwater fauna in the streams (Appendix B).

2.4.2 Hand Netting

2.4.2.1 Hand netting (see Photo 2.2) was used to search the potential habitats along the watercourse. The sweeping motion of the hand netting scraped the layer of the stream bottom substrate into the net, e.g., soil and leaf litter where possible, as S. zanklon is likely to be among these substrates. After taking the hand net out of the water, it was allowed to drain, and the net content was emptied on to a large sorting tray. All caught S. zanklon, if any, would be carefully moved to a plastic container for marking.



Photo 2.2: Hand netting at a potential habitat (vegetation) along the watercourse

2.4.3 Kick-netting

2.4.3.1 Kick-netting (see Photo 2.3) was done along the watercourse by moving upstream with the net facing the water current. The surveyor disturbed the substrate by kicking the streambed substrate by kicking, such that the S. zanklon dislodged from the streambed would be trapped in the net. In order to maximise the survey effort within the stream, the surveyor moved up the stream in a zigzag direction to increase the kick sampling coverage. The net was checked after a maximum of one minute of kick sampling. Additionally, the net was checked more frequently if large amount of substrate was kicked into the net.


Photo 2.3: Surveyor kick-netting the substrate and checking the net’s contents

2.4.3.2 Similar to hand netting, the net content was emptied on to a large sorting tray. All caught S. zanklon, if any, were carefully moved to a plastic container for post-translocation marking.

2.4.4 Direct Observation

Direct observation (see Photo 2.4) to search for S. zanklon in their potential hiding spaces was also conducted.

Photo 2.4: Surveyor searching for S. zanklon on potential hiding space (under vegetation and rocks) along the watercourse

2.4.5 Marking

All captured S. zanklon individuals would be marked prior to releasing them back to the monitoring area. The marker would be an epoxy-resin based paint (Jotamastic Wintergrade) which contains a metallic component and cures in contact with water. Earlier laboratory and field trials had established that crab survival and behaviour was unaffected by paint marking on the carapace and that the marks persisted in field conditions (Eaton et. al., 2001). Recaptures, if any, would be re-marked with black numerals to indicate the month of capture.

3. Survey Results

3.1.1 There was no S. zanklon individual that was recaptured nor marked during the monitoring period (Appendix C). Moreover, the vegetation of the survey area has regrown since the last survey. The lack of recaptured individuals could be attributed to the thick vegetation providing cover for the individuals. The individuals could have hid within the thick vegetation, making them very hard to discover. Moreover, the individuals could have relocated to different areas in search for food and habitats. The survey area had been extended even further downstream in effort to capture the individuals. However, still no individuals were recaptured.


Photo 3.1: Site photos the monitoring area (vegetation)

Photo 3.2: Site photos the monitoring area further down stream

4. Post-translocation Monitoring Schedule and Area

4.1.1 This monitoring is the final monitoring according to the project proposal. No further post-translocation monitoring will be conducted to monitor the establishment and effectiveness of the measures for S. zanklon community in the translocated site.

4.1.2 Despite that the survey area had been extended further downstream multiple times in effort to discover relocated individuals, no individuals of S. zanklon have been recaptured.

5. Summary and Conclusion

5.1.1 No S. zanklon individual was recaptured nor marked throughout the monitoring period. The results could be due multiple reasons. Such as, the Severe Tropical Storm Ma-on last 24 August 2022 (HKO, 2022), which happened shortly after the translocation of the S. zanklon individuals. Also, the thick vegetation in the monitoring area provided lots of hiding places for the individuals. Moreover, the individuals may have previously relocated to a different area in search for food and habitats. Therefore, the survey area had been extended further downstream multiple times in effort to search for possibly resettled S. zanklon individuals. Despite the increased effort, still no S. zanklon individuals were recaptured.

6. References

Eaton, D.R., J.T. Addison, S.P. Milligan, J. Brown and L.J. Fernand. 2001. Larvae surveys of edible crab (Cancer pagurus) off the east coast of England: implications for stock structure and management. ICES CM 2001/J:14. 10pp.

ERM. 2022. Aquatic Fauna Survey Findings included in previous Translocation Proposal (version 4.0).

Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). 2022. https://www.hko.gov.hk/en/wxinfo/climat/warndb/warndb1.shtml?opt=1&sgnl=1.or.higher&start_ym=202208&end_ym=202208&submit=Submit+Query

Stanton, D.J. and Leven, M.R. (2016) “Distribution, habitat utilisation and conservation status of the freshwater crab, Somanniathelphusa Zanklon Ng & Dudgeon, 1992 (crustacea: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) endemic to Hong Kong,” Journal of Threatened Taxa, 8(3), p. 8564.