Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: diving instructor’s quest to fight marine pollution
Kevin Suen has led over 10 clean-up operations since 2022, extracting more than 2.4 tonnes of debris from Hong Kong’s waters
When diving instructor Kevin Suen Chung-yi conducts lessons in Hong Kong’s waters, he would often encounter discarded abandoned fishing nets that snagged on coral reefs and ensnared marine creatures.
“I’d see these nets tangled around coral or drifting in the water, and I couldn’t just ignore them,” Suen said.
What began as a personal initiative to clear nets when he encountered them, gradually evolved into a much larger mission.
Since setting up Ghost Net Hunting Unit in 2022, Suen has led over 10 clean-ups, extracting more than 2.4 tonnes of debris from Hong Kong’s waters.
His work, supported by the A Plastic Ocean Foundation, extends to educating the public, particularly the diving and fishing communities, about the broader impact of marine pollution.
“It’s not just about removing the trash,” he explained. “It’s about teaching people why this is important, about the long-term damage these ghost nets cause.”
