Saving the marine world's 'Mr Charisma'
A consumer awareness campaign will be launched in Hong Kong to help save a threatened species of reef fish after a survey found most diners are ignorant of the effects their choices of seafood can have.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is to mount a campaign to highlight the plight of the Humphead Wrasse, which environmentalists say is being fished to dangerously low levels partly because it is widely eaten in Hong Kong and mainland restaurants.
Margaret Chan, communications officer for the WWF in Hong Kong, said the campaign would be launched in June and include a video and posters featuring the fish.
Dr Yvonne Sadovy of the University of Hong Kong's Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, described the Humphead Wrasse as 'a charismatic fish' which she said was popular with divers, many of whom went on dives especially to spot the species.
A study by the WWF in 2000 indicated widespread ignorance among diners in Hong Kong about the effects of the live reef fishing industry - and a willingness to change eating habits to save threatened species. Sixty-four per cent of people said they had eaten Humphead Wrasse or Giant Garoupa but 71 per cent did not know the fish were vulnerable species.
Half had never heard of cyanide fishing and 80 per cent did not know the impact of cyanide fishing.
However, 80 per cent said they would be willing to eat less or stop eating vulnerable species altogether, while 60 per cent said they supported the banning of the import and sale of those species.
An education campaign was mounted by the WWF on the back of the survey's findings, but Ms Chan said more needed to be done to educate people on the impact of the trade.
Professor Jose Padilla of the WWF in Manila agreed, saying: 'If we can harness consumer power, it will make a great difference.'
