The Wild Animals Protection (Amendment) Bill 2026 was published in the Government Gazette today, enhancing the protection of cetaceans appearing in Hong Kong waters.

The bill proposes to grant the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation the power to designate temporary marine restricted areas (TMRAs) within Hong Kong waters when necessary to protect cetaceans.

The measure is to safeguard the health or well-being of cetaceans in these designated areas, as well as to impose restrictions or prohibitions on persons, vessels, and activities within the TMRAs. It also introduces new offences and enforcement powers against non-compliance with control measures within the TMRAs.

The Government noted that the presence of cetaceans, especially whales, often attracts significant public attention and draws people to approach them for viewing, adding that the presence of people and vessels near an injured or stranded cetacean may cause disturbance or distress, hinder rescue operations, and pose risks to the safety of other marine users.

The proposed amendment aims to empower the Government to implement appropriate control measures in a swift and flexible manner when necessary, with a view to enhancing the protection of cetaceans and safeguarding the safety of other marine users.

The Government consulted the Nature Conservation Subcommittee of the Advisory Council on the Environment, and the Legislative Council Panel on Environmental Affairs on the bill on June 30 and July 10 this year, respectively, and panel members expressed support for the proposed amendments. Other relevant stakeholders also generally supported the legislative proposal.

The bill will be introduced into LegCo for its first and second reading on November 11.