Rare seahorses found living in river estuaries off Lantau and Sai Kung
Study by green groups reveals rare species of fish breeding in river estuaries that may be threatened by government land reclamation
Major breeding grounds include Tung Chung Bay and the waters around Tap Mun (Grass Island), including Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park and Fung Wong Wat, according to the Eco-Education & Resources Centre and Green Power study.
The findings shed light on the local distribution of the horse-like fish, once thought to breed only in saltwater coral reefs.
Centre founder Ken Ching-see ho said the study offers evidence that river estuaries are of high ecological importance for conserving biodiversity.
"We hope the government will take this into account when carrying out development near rivers as land reclamation will have a destructive effect on the marine habitats of these species," Ching said.
The groups examined 33 locations across the city and found seahorses and pipefish favoured shallows about seven metres in depth with a seabed of coarse sand, mud, rock or coral reef.
But many of the most thriving habitats were also located near freshwater inflows, Ching said. "We are not ruling out the possibility that food at river mouths could be more abundant."