Initial recovery of demersal fish communities in coastal waters of Hong Kong, South China, following a trawl ban

Abstract Fisheries resources in Hong Kong have been overexploited since the 1970s due to intensive bottom trawling and other fishing activities that depleted stocks destroyed marine habitat. To rehabilitate fisheries resources, a permanent ban on territorial waters came into force December 31, 2012. In order determine whether trawl facilitated recovery of fish communities, surveys were conducted at two sites each eastern, southern western (estuarine) coastal before three years after ban. A total 315 species 86 families fishes nine feeding groups encountered during surveys. Mean trophic level community, abundance biomass predatory increased eastern ban, but no changes or declines these metrics observed waters. Although initial community waters, anthropogenic disturbances might hinder process, including large-scale reclamation for construction infrastructures west, illegal trawling, expansion non-trawling efforts Longer term monitoring is needed evaluate effects will continue be constrained by disturbances. Graphic abstract