Hong Kong is a marine biodiversity hotspot, with over 1,000 marine fish species records, including those that are consumed by people, such as groupers, that are commonly seen in wet markets or restaurants. Hong Kong Grouper is a grouper species that occurs in eastern waters of Hong Kong, inhabiting rocky reefs and boulders. Its greyish brown body, except abdomen, is scattered with reddish-orange or golden spots. Sometimes, faint bars are observed on its sides, and a large black spot is visible under its dorsal fin.
Most groupers, including Hong Kong Grouper, have an interesting biological feature – hermaphroditism, possessing gonads from both sexes. Individuals of Hong Kong Grouper mature into females first, and some of them will then become males under certain conditions. Research found that individuals were able to live for at least 19 years. Compared with other grouper species in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Grouper has a relatively narrow global distribution. The species can only be found in subtropical to temperate Northwest Pacific Ocean, including the waters of China, South Korea and Japan.
Reef fish is one of the favourite foods of Hong Kong people. In the 1960s, Hong Kong Grouper was common in wet market stalls, and "steamed red groupers' was often a must-order dish in restaurant banquets. Due to continuous overfishing and changes in the environment, the species has become much rarer since the 1990s. Given that groupers are relatively long-lived, it takes a long time for them to reach sexual maturity, and hence their diminished populations also take a long time to recover. Therefore, AFCD conducted restocking exercises in 2014 and 2019, to release Hong Kong Grouper fingerlings in the artificial reefs of suitable locations, aiming to restore the local population of the species.
| Family | Serranidae |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Epinephelus akaara |
| Adult Size | About 30–51 cm in length |
| Habitat | Reef-associated |
| IUCN Red List Status | Endangered |
