Vol. 38 No. 2, 1999

Marine Fish Fauna in Hong Kong Waters

I-Hsun Ni* and Kai-Yin Kwok

Department of Biology, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China

I-Hsun Ni and Kai-Yin Kwok (1999) Rapid industrialization and large-scale infrastructural projects in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta in recent years have placed an extraordinarily heavy burden on coastal environments. The magnitude of the problem will increase as sewage discharge, ocean dredging/disposal, and land reclamation continue to expand in the next few years. Fundamentals of marine environmental impact assessment are based upon a good understanding of biodiversity that allow us to monitor environmental changes. However, there is no baseline data on marine fauna that allow evaluation of the damage from various large-scale infrastructural projects to aquatic environments. A comprehensive database on local fish fauna is, therefore, urgently necessary for the planning and implementation of conservation strategies in Hong Kong. This paper is the 1st systematic report on marine fish fauna in Hong Kong waters. From years of opportunistic fishing surveys and a thorough literature review, a total of 25 orders, 124 families, 390 genera, and 834 fish species in Hong Kong waters were identified. There are 97 fish species listed herein as new records to the area.

Key words: Fish, Fauna, Hong Kong, New record.

*Correspondence: Tel: 852-23587305. Fax: 852-23581559. E-mail: boniih@ust.hk