For millions around the world, Mickey Mouse means laughter and magic. But for some in Hong Kong, Disney has brought only sadness.
For three generations, Chan Chi-sing's family lived off the sea around their home, but they hung up their nets for good this year when the water turned yellow.
Staring wistfully at it, Chan shakes his head.
"It's a dead sea," he said, his weatherbeaten face tightening.
Dredging and dumping to reclaim land for a planned HK$14.1 billion (US$1.8 billion) Walt Disney theme park have disrupted the lives of what is already a shrinking number of fishing families in the territory.
The entertainment giant says reclamation is the government's responsibility and says there is no evidence that problems faced by the fishermen can be directly linked to the project.
Fishermen and environmentalists, however, say fish stocks have dwindled even further since work began in mid-2000. Some species have disappeared and those hardy enough to survive have stopped spawning.
Chan lives on tiny Peng Chau island, about 2km south of Penny's Bay on Lantau island, where Mickey Mouse and his magic kingdom will set up shop from 2005.
"Polluted waters from (China's) Pearl River Delta reduced fish stocks in the last few years, but Disney was the last straw," he said.
"We can't find many types of fish now. Groupers have even stopped spawning. There aren't red crabs or flower crabs anymore. There used to be so much of them at Penny's Bay," said Chan, who has since found work as a contractor.
Peng Chau's fishing community has dwindled in recent decades along with fish stocks in the area. Many people have quit the island for the city.
But the Disney project seems to have struck another blow and the number of fishing families has fallen to about 30 from 70 before the reclamation work began.
HK works to minimize impact
Hong Kong's government, which has touted the theme park as a major boost for tourism, says some of the problems resulting from the project are not unexpected and are in line with an environmental impact study conducted earlier.
"To some extent, the water quality will be affected but we will control the impact to within acceptable levels," said chief engineer Chan Kin-kwong of the Civil Engineering Department.
A 3.24-km silt curtain and 200m-long barrier of rocks now surround much of Penny's Bay to limit the contamination of nearby waters, Chan said.
Artificial reefs also will be constructed in coming months in a bid to lure back displaced species, he said.
The government regularly monitors 67 sites around Penny's Bay and has given out HK$33.8 million to 1,144 fishermen to encourage them to cast their nets farther afield.
Another HK$2.91 million will be given to fish farmers who have opted to give up their farms. Two other schemes are in place to help those who choose to continue.
A Disney spokeswoman in Hong Kong said: "To date, there's no evidence that links the current issues that the fishermen are saying to the reclamation at Penny's Bay.
"The government continues to monitor this. They've put measures in place on site to address this issue. They've assured us they are taking this seriously."
Economic boon, heartaches
Many people in Hong Kong cannot wait for the 2005 opening of the park. Revenues will be split 57:43 between the Hong Kong government and The Walt Disney Co.
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