​​The delta, with its fertile water, became a semi-permanent home for some nomadic fishermen, despite the risks of land erosion. When the relocation was called for, they would move to the nearby vacant islands. Their livelihood was flexible. The acceleration of urban development brought in more people from diverse origins. The once “flexible” relationship with the land was no longer sustainable. It became fraught with conflict. The fishermen now find themselves on scattered pieces of land in the delta, facing overcrowding as the population grows. More houses were built, some even extended over canals and rivers. The land they currently reside on is either under the jurisdiction of the Marine Department , making their presence debatable, or owned by local magnates who can afford and arrange for land reclamation, gradually expanding their holdings year by year.

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In addition, the coastal landscape has undergone a radical transformation. When the fishermen are at sea, they eye mountains on the land as their navigation guide to return home. Local mountains have been blasted to gravels to produce construction materials. Sand dunes have been dredged. Erosion barriers have been fortified. Some land reclamation projects have further altered the characteristics of coastline and rivers, using rock and sand to reshape the land for human use. This drastic change has undermined the bounty of the land and the bonding with people who once harmonized with it.​​​​