The Hong Kong Underwater Photo and Video Competition 2016, jointly organised by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and Hong Kong Underwater Association, announced its winning entries.
The Hong Kong Underwater Photo and Video Competition, in its 5th year now, received 443 entries this year, featuring marine ecology, habitats and marine life in Hong Kong waters.
An AFCD spokesman said, “Entries over the years have showcased the beauty of marine life and habitats in Hong Kong waters, and have helped promote the conservation of the marine environment.”
The event comprised a photo competition and a video competition. In the photo competition the categories were Macros/Close-ups and Standard/Wide Angle. In addition to prizes for champions and runners-up in each group, there were Special Prizes for Junior Underwater Photographers presented by the judging panel to encourage less experienced underwater photographers to participate in the competition.
Macro/Close-up Category Winner: Vania KAMMacro/Close-up Category 1st runner-up: AU Wai ChiMacro/Close-up Category: 2nd runner-up: Thomas LAMMacro/Close-up Category Junior Underwater Photographer Winner: SO Chun FungMacro/Close-up Category Merit Award: Thomas LAMMacro/Close-up Category Merit Award: Thomas LAMMacro/Close-up Category Merit Award: Tang Wai ChungMacro/Close-up Category Merit Award: Vania KAMMacro/Close-up Category Merity Award: Tang Wai ChungMacro/Close-up Category Merit Award: Vania KAMMacro/Close-up Category Merit Award: Wan Sheung YueMacro/Close-up Category Merit Award: Lau Pong Wing AtimMacro/Close-up Category Merit Award: LEUNG Yu Yick
Macro/Close-up Category Merit Award: Leung Wun CheungStandard/Wide-Angle Category Winner: Yu Wing ChungStandard/Wide-Angle Category 1st runner-up: Wan Sheung YueStandard/Wide-Angle Category 2nd runner-up: Thomas LAMStandard/Wide-Angle Category Junior Underwater Photographer Prize: SO Chun FungStandard/Wide-Angle Category Merit Award: Thomas LAMStandard/Wide-Angle Category Merit Award: Ho Tsz HungStandard/Wide-Angle Category Merit Award: Markus KlemmerStandard/Wide-Angle Category Merit Award: Vania KAMStandard/Wide-Angle Category Merit Award: Lau Man Chi VanessaStandard/Wide-Angle Category Merit Award: Lo Wai Yip DerekStandard/Wide-Angle Category Merit Award: Poon Yiu Nam DavidStandard/Wide-Angle Category Merit Award: Yu Wing ChungStandard/Wide-Angle Category Merit Award: Poon Yiu Nam DavidStandard/Wide-Angle Category Merit Award: Lau Pong Wing Atim
The venomous Conus textile is one of the most abundant and widespread cone shell in Hong Kong waters. Easily recognized by the tent-shaped markings on the orange-colored cone-shaped shell with wavy chocolates lines, you are advised to stay away from these beautiful but dangerous reef predators. They like to hide in sandy patches under rocks and also occurs widely throughout the Info-Pacific and grow to a maximum of 15cm shell length. The danger they pose comes from a tiny venom-laden harpoon they can fire from their proboscis. They normally use this to hunt other sea snails by injection them with conotoxin through the harpoon-like needle teeth they can fire out of their proboscis. They can reach around to any point on their shell with this proboscis, and several human death have resulted from handling.
To see exactly how subtle and fast the venom injection is, I recommend this clip from YouTube of a textile cone in a tank hunting down a prey snail. The prey snail in the clip has actually sealed itself into its shell and shut the opening with a special door called an operculum – but apparently to no avail!
A study by Allen W.L. Lo and Stanley K.H. Shea published recently in Msrine Biodiversity Records, has found 4 species of reef fish not previously known from Hong Kong waters. They also conclude that these 4 species are not introduced. So here is a welcome list of Hong Kong’s newest residents:
Ambyleleottis japonica
A Goby that grows to only 8.5 cm length and lives near the bottom and about which very little is known.
picture by J.E. Randall via Fishbase
Halichoeres hartzfeldii – the Goldstripe Wrasse
A reef living wrasse of the Western Pacific that grows up to 18cm in length.
picture by J.E. Randall via Fishbase
C
anthigaster papua – the Papuan Toby
A pufferfish species from the West Pacific that grows to 10cm.
picture by J. Bednarzik via Fishbase
Parapriacanthus sp. – a species of Sweeper
The authors of the paper did not identify it to species so this is just a placeholder.
The AFCD seized 36 live sea turtles from a fish raft at Sok Kwu Wan Fish Culture Zone on Friday (September 30).
Upon receipt of a report of sea turtles found on the fish raft from the Police, the AFCD officers were deployed to the scene for investigation and they seized 35 green sea turtles and a hawksbill turtle.
All the sea turtles were sent to Ocean Park Hong Kong for observation and detailed veterinary assessment and follow-up investigation by the AFCD is ongoing.
To report suspected irregularities, call the government hotline at 1823.
