Releasing wrong fish on Buddha's birthday could do more harm than good: Green Power

Buddhists who release fish into the sea in a show of compassion to mark Buddha's birthday may be doing more harm than good if they pick the wrong fish, a green group warns.

People who practise Chinese Buddhism traditionally mark the celebration, which takes place tomorrow, by buying and releasing animals otherwise facing slaughter. The practice demonstrates Buddha's teachings of kindness and compassion.

"But by picking the wrong creature, the believers could do more harm than good to the habitat," Green Power's chief executive officer Dr Man Chi-sum said.

Such is the case with the Sabah giant grouper, a cross-breed bred in Malaysian fish farms specifically for consumption.

The fish has become a popular choice for release as it is large and relatively cheap at HK$60 to HK$90 a catty (600 grams). It looks like a local giant grouper, but costs less.

Releasing it into Hong Kong waters could adversely affect local ecosystems as it has a huge appetite. The fish has to consume 4kg of smaller fishes to grow by just 1kg.