Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: A diving instructor's commitment to fighting marine pollution

When diving instructor Kevin Suen Chung-yi gives lessons in Hong Kong waters, he often comes across discarded, abandoned fishing nets that have tangled on coral reefs and trapped marine life.

“I saw these nets tangled around coral or floating 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 grew into a much larger mission.

Since the Ghost Net Hunting Unit was founded in 2022, Suen has led over ten clean-up operations, recovering more than 2.4 tons of trash from Hong Kong waters.

His work, supported by A Plastic Ocean Foundation, extends to educating the public, particularly the diving and fishing communities, about the broader impacts of ocean pollution.

“It’s not just about removing the trash,” he explained. “It’s about educating people why this is important and the long-term damage these ghost nets cause.”