Media

HKU- led research finds over one-tenth of groupers of at least 20 popular species facing extinction from overfishing and illegal trade

20 May 2013

At least 20 popular species of groupers accounting for twelve percent of the fishes are facing extinction, putting the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people around the world at risk, finds a report published in academic journal Fish and Fisheries on April 28, 2013.

The study, led by Professor Yvonne Sadovy, an expert in Marine and freshwater biology of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), is based on data accumulated by experts over a period of 20 years.

Most of these threatened species are food fish found frequently on dinner table in luxury restaurants of Hong Kong including the humpback, high fin or mouse, grouper Hong Kong or red grouper, longtooth grouper, blacksaddled and the giant grouper. Several other species are considered to be near-threatened including the popular leopard coral trout and camouflage grouper. The overall percentage of threatened groupers could be higher as there is insufficient data for about thirty percent of the species.

Overfishing and the booming international luxury seafood trade have been identified as major threats to the survival of some grouper species, which in turn will threaten the livelihoods of those who depend on them for food and income, according to Professor Sadovy, who describes the current situation as alarming.

Professor Sadovy will hold a press conference tomorrow (May 21, Tuesday) to explain the findings. She will share her views on how the fast growing consumer market in China and the eating habit of the Chinese in favour particularly of wide fishes are major factors threatening the survival of the species. Moreover, HK as a global groupers trade centre, its regulations however are outdated and fail to comply with international convention and agreements with frequent instances of illegal trade, Professor Sadovy will tell her recommendations on the measures HK should take to protect the grouper species.

Details of the press conference are as follows:

Date: May 21, 2013 (Tuesday)
Time: 11am
Venue: Room 3N-01, 3/F, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, HKU (map)

For media enquiries, please contact Communications and Public Affairs Office:
Assistant Director (Media) Ms Trinni Choy, tel: 2859 2606 email: pychoy@hku.hk, or
Senior Manager (Media) Ms Melanie Wan, tel: 2859 2600 email: melwkwan@hku.hk