View source for Soko Islands

{{Short description|Group of islands in Hong Kong}}
{{Use Hong Kong English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox islands
| name             = Soko Islands
| local_name      = 索罟群島
| image_name       = Soko Islands viewed from Lantau.JPG
| image_size       = 
| image_caption    = View of the Soko Islands from [[Tian Tan Buddha]]. The hills in the foreground are part of [[Lantau Island]].
| map              = 
| map_width        = 
| map_caption      = 
| map_relief       = 
| coordinates      = {{coord|22|10|26.0394|N|113|54|39.6|E|display=inline,title}}
| location         = Southwest of [[Lantau Island]]
| archipelago      = Soko Islands
| total_islands    = 11
| major_islands    = [[Tai A Chau]], [[Siu A Chau]]
| area_km2         = <!-- or |area_m2= or |area_ha= -->
| length_km        = <!-- or |length_m=  -->
| width_km         = <!-- or |width_m=  -->
| coastline_km     = <!-- or |coastline_m=  -->
| elevation_m      = 
| highest_mount    = 
| country          = {{HKG}}
| country_admin_divisions_title      = District
| country_admin_divisions            = [[Islands District]]
| demonym          = 
| population       = 
| population_as_of = 
}}{{Infobox Chinese
|order=
|showflag=
|t=索罟群島
|s=索罟群岛
|j=Sok<sup>3</sup> gu<sup>2</sup> kwan<sup>4</sup> dou<sup>2</sup> 
|y=Sok gú kwàhn dóu
|p=Suǒgǔ Qúndǎo
}}
[[File:Siu A Chau (tilted).jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view of [[Siu A Chau]] looking towards the South coast of [[Lantau Island]].]]
[[File:Tin Hau Temple, Tai A Chau 07.jpg|thumb|[[Tin Hau Temple]] on [[Tai A Chau]].]]
The '''Soko Islands''' ({{zh|t=索罟群島}}) are a group of [[island]]s in Hong Kong. The group consists of [[Tai A Chau]], [[Siu A Chau]] and several smaller nearby islands, in the southwesternmost waters of the territory, to the southwest of [[Lantau Island]].

An older name for this island group was "Sok Kwu Kwan To" (Fishing Net Islands).<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Strickland |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XHVockol_bsC&dq=%22Soko+Islands%22+Hong+Kong&pg=PA207 |title=Southern District Officer Reports: Islands and Villages in Rural Hong Kong, 1910-60 |date=2010-06-01 |publisher=Hong Kong University Press |isbn=978-988-8028-38-2 |pages=205-208 |language=en}}</ref>

The islands are mainly composed of granite and a band of [[rhyodacite]]. Waters of the island group are brackish due to being in the [[Pearl River estuary]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last1=Owen|first1=Bernie|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4sO5vlJ7ETcC&dq=%22Soko+Islands%22+Hong+Kong&pg=PA217|title=Hong Kong Landscapes: Shaping the Barren Rock|last2=Shaw|first2=Raynor|date=2007-10-01|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|isbn=978-962-209-847-3|pages=217|language=en}}</ref>

==Islands==
The islands of the group are:
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
* [[Cheung Muk Tau (Islands District)|Cheung Muk Tau]] ({{zh|t=樟木頭|labels=no}})
* [[Ko Pai]] ({{zh|t=高排|labels=no}})
* [[Lung Shuen Pai]] ({{zh|t=龍船排|labels=no}})
* [[Ma Chau]] ({{zh|t=孖洲|labels=no}})
* [[Shek Chau, Islands District|Shek Chau]] ({{zh|t=石洲|labels=no}})
* [[Siu A Chau]] ({{zh|t=小鴉洲|labels=no}})
* [[Tai A Chau]] ({{zh|t=大鴉洲|labels=no}})
* [[Tau Lo Chau]] ({{zh|t=頭顱洲|labels=no}})
* [[Wan Hau Chau]] ({{zh|t=灣口洲|labels=no}})
* [[Yuen Chau]] ({{zh|t=圓洲|labels=no}})
* [[Yuen Kong Chau, Island District|Yuen Kong Chau]] ({{zh|t=圓崗洲|labels=no}})
{{Div col end}}

==History==

=== Prehistoric ===
Stone tools dating from the [[Neolithic|Neolithic period]] to [[Bronze Age|Bronze age]] (c.4500-221 BC) have been found on [[Tai A Chau]] during excavations in 1982 and 2005. These include tools such as [[Drill|Drills]], [[Adze|Adzes]], and [[Mortar and pestle|Pounders]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Self-Selected Archeological Data |url=https://hkaas.amo.gov.hk/hkaas/artefactlist.jsp |website=Hong Kong Archeological Archive System}}</ref> 

=== Soko Island Villagers ===
Although now uninhabited,<ref name="South Lantau Marine Park">{{cite web |url=https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_mar/cou_vis_mar_des/cou_vis_mar_des_sl.html |title=South Lantau Marine Park |last= |first= |date= |website= |publisher=[[Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department]] |access-date= |quote=}}</ref> the Soko Islands used to be inhabited by fishermen and farmers as early as the 1770s. This is evidenced by the inscribed bells in the small Tin Hau temples on [[Tai A Chau]] and [[Siu A Chau]], presented by devotees in 1828 and 1773 respectively.<ref name=":1" /> There is also a tomb on Siu A Chau that dates to 1803, the surname Chow ({{Zh|t=周}}) is inscribed on it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=李 |first=昭駿 |title=蒙洪初開的島嶼，撐船出城去長洲——訪問文字工作者Vivienne Chow和「油街實現」館長連美嬌 |url=https://zihua.org.hk/magazine/issue-37/article/since-ancient-times/}}</ref>

During the late 1950s, the population of Soko Islands was around 65 people.<ref>Hong Kong, "A gazetteer of place names in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories", Hong Kong : Govt. Printer, 1960</ref>  There were three dominant families, the Ng ({{Zh|t=吾}}), Yeung ({{Zh|t=楊}}) families of [[Tai A Chau]], and the Chow ({{Zh|t=周}}) family of [[Siu A Chau]]. All describe themselves as the direct descendants of the original settlers, who are from a [[Cantonese people|Cantonese]] or [[Hakka people|Hakka]] origin. The main economic activity on the islands was fishing and farming, as well as [[Pig farming|pig breeding]], [[Rice|rice farming]], and [[shrimp paste]] manufacturing. All trade connections are almost entirely with [[Cheung Chau]], where goods are transported by motor or sailboat. Occasionally [[Papaya|Papayas]] are grown and sold.<ref name=":1" /> 

In 1959, one classroom was built to provide education up to a level equivalent fourth grade primary school. At the time, there were 28 pupils, all from Tai A Chau. Students who wish to study further needed to travel to [[Cheung Chau]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=27 April 1975 |title=Jointly Owned Fish Pond - Main Source of Income For Soko Islanders |url=https://archive.org/details/xn-000022-1975-04-27 |work=Daily Information Bulletin 政府新聞檔案處}}</ref>

During The 1960s, 350 pigs were donated by the [[Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Association|Kadooree]] Experimental and Extension Farm to boost the pig raising industry in the Soko Islands. [[Pineapple]] plantations were also planted as a new export product.<ref name=":2" />

In 1973, a 15,000 sq. ft. jointly owned artificial [[fish pond]] was opened to act as a new source of income for the villagers. To celebrate the opening, 400 [[Carp]] were transported and released into the pond by [[Military helicopter|army helicopters]].<ref name=":2" />

During 1975 the population of the Soko Islands was around 200 people.<ref name=":2" />

=== Tai A Chau Vietnamese Detention Centre ===
During the 1980s, a [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] detention centre was being built to accommodate the waves of Vietnamese fleeing after the [[Fall of Saigon|fall of Saigon in 1975]]. This also caused the original villagers to abandon the island.<ref name="South Lantau Marine Park" />
[[File:Site of Tai A Chau Detention Centre 04.jpg|thumb|Site of Tai A Chau Detention Centre (demolished).]]
In 1991, the [[Tai A Chau]] Detention Centre (IN59), a [[refugee camp]] for [[Vietnamese people in Hong Kong|Vietnamese]] [[boat people]], started operation and accommodated thousands of refugees. It was closed in September 1996.<ref name=":0" />

=== Developments after 2000 ===
In 2006, a low-level radioactive waste storage facility was built on Siu A Chau. It remains the only facility of this type in Hong Kong.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 June 2006 |title=Low-level Radioactive Waste Storage Facility opens (with photos) |url=https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200606/24/P200606240155.htm |website=Government Press Release}}</ref> The facility repurposes disused air raid tunnels to deal with Hong Kong's radioactive waste for the next 100 years, the complex comprises a {{cvt|55|m|ft|adj=mid|-long}} jetty, a shielded waste storage vault, a fully equipped laboratory, an automatic control room, a wastewater management system and specially designed waste reception and processing areas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Problems & Solutions - Low-level Radioactive Waste |url=https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/prob_solutions/radioactive_waste.html |website=Environmental Protection Department}}</ref>

In 2016, [[CLP Power]] proposed the islands as site for a terminal to receive liquefied natural gas ([[LNG]]) for use in electricity generation. This proposal is opposed by local environmental groups because the surrounding waters are an important habitat for various marine species, particularly the rare [[Chinese white dolphin]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-04-11|title=Hong Kong electric company plans floating LNG terminal near Soko Islands|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1935188/hong-kong-electric-company-plans-floating-lng|access-date=2021-06-12|website=South China Morning Post|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-11-13|title='Clean up islands and waters before marine park designation'|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2119577/officials-urged-clean-remote-hong-kong-islands-and|access-date=2021-06-12|website=South China Morning Post|language=en}}</ref>

In February 2020, OceansAsia reported finding 70 face masks washed up on one beach of the islands. The same beach was examined the following November, and OceansAsia volunteers reported collecting 54 more masks.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-08|title='More masks than jellyfish': coronavirus waste ends up in ocean|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/08/more-masks-than-jellyfish-coronavirus-waste-ends-up-in-ocean|access-date=2021-06-12|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-07|title=More than 1.56 billion face masks could end up polluting oceans: report|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/article/more-than-156-billion-face-masks-could-end-up-polluting-oceans-report/|access-date=2021-06-12|website=CTVNews|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-03-12|title=Discarded coronavirus masks clutter Hong Kong's beaches, trails|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-hongkong-environme-idUSKBN20Z0PP|access-date=2021-06-12}}</ref>

==Conservation==
The soft shore beach of Siu A Chau can attract [[green turtles]] and the islands were proposed to be a protected marine park.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Morton|first=Brian|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IPgdfT3k2doC&dq=%22Soko+Islands%22+Hong+Kong&pg=PA811|title=Perspectives on Marine Environmental Change in Hong Kong and Southern China, 1977-2001: Proceedings of an International Workshop Reunion Conference, Hong Kong, 21-26 October 2001|date=2003-01-01|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|isbn=978-962-209-641-7|pages=811|language=en}}</ref>

The South Lantau Marine Park ({{zh|t=南大嶼海岸公園|labels=no}}) was designated as a [[Marine parks in Hong Kong|marine park]] in June 2022. It encompasses the Soko Islands and an area between Siu A Chau and Tai A Chau. The stated aim of the marine park is to help conserve the [[Chinese white dolphins]] and [[finless Porpoise]]s.<ref name="South Lantau Marine Park"/>

==Education==
The Soko Islands are in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 97. Within the school net are three aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) on [[Cheung Chau]]; no government schools are in this net.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/spa-systems/primary-1-admission/school-lists/2023dpnet-97b.pdf|title=POA School Net 97|publisher=[[Education Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-09-12}}</ref>

==References==
{{portal|Islands}}
<references />

== Further reading ==

* {{Cite book |last=Miller |first=Norman N. |url=https://normanmillerarchive.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Faces-of-Change-China-Coast.pdf |title=Faces of Change, Five Rural Societies in Transition: Bolivia, Kenya, Afghanistan, Taiwan, China Coast |date=1978 |publisher=Wheelock Educational Resources |pages=323-398}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline|Soko Islands}}
{{islands District}}
{{Islands of Hong Kong}}
{{Conservation designations in Hong Kong}}

[[Category:Islands District]]
[[Category:Marine parks of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Uninhabited islands of Hong Kong]]