300 verbal warnings issued to Sharp Island visitors on Labour Day
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also says number of visitors to island on Saturday had ‘exceeded expectations’
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said on Saturday that the 3,000 visitors to Sharp Island a day earlier had “exceeded expectations”, prompting the deployment of additional frontline staff.
But the area’s growing popularity, which is partly due to its heavy promotion on mainland social media, has triggered concerns about the potential ecological damage arising from overtourism.
The department also said that about 5,700 people visited the High Island Reservoir East Dam on Friday, resulting in what it described as “extremely busy crowds”.
“Staff maintained order and managed the flow of people at the trail entrances and the viewing platform,” it said. “Visitors cooperated with the instructions of on-site staff and waited patiently; overall, the situation was orderly.”