Demand for coral fish, considered a delicacy, has exploded in line with China's booming economy, and some species such as the humphead wrasse are already endangered.

"You may not be able to eat it in four to five years, whatever money you pay. This is the favorite among people from the mainland," said a fish merchant, who gave his name only as Chen.

Restaurant fish tanks in Hong Kong are filled with exotic fish species gathered from all around Southeast Asia, Australia and even some remote Pacific islands, such as Fiji and Vanuatu.

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With the marine stock already exhausted in nearby waters, Hong Kong traders are reaching far and wide for increasingly rare fish such as groupers, snappers and humphead wrasse.

"Basically, it's been like a vacuum cleaner across the region," said Andy Cornish, director for conservation at the World Wide Fund Hong Kong. "Reefs near Hong Kong were depleted decades ago, and the trade has moved further and further away to source fish."

Biologists say reef fish are vulnerable to overfishing as they need five to 10 years before reaching breeding age.

"Demand for many reef fish is just too high. Wild populations will continue to decline if nothing is done because the fisheries are typically unmanaged," said Yvonne Sadovy, a marine biologist and associate professor at Hong Kong University. "China is where the demand for live reef fish is particularly heavy, and where it is also expected to grow. A lot of the reef fish that come into Hong Kong are re-exported into China."

Early this month, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature issued a warning that 20 grouper species were threatened with extinction.

Large parts of reefs in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia are becoming void of marine life as a result of overfishing and the use of cyanide to catch fish alive. Though illegal, many fishermen use cyanide - an exceptionally damaging and wasteful way to catch the fish which hide among coral.

The divers squirt the toxin in the reef to stun the fish. But that kills other marine life, including coral. Only about a quarter survive to make it to restaurants.

Asked how widespread cyanide was, Reinhard Renneberg, chemistry professor from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said: "I believe almost all big, undamaged fish are caught with cyanide. Cyanide in fish is no longer harmful for people. It would be nice if you could say you'd get big health problems, if you eat this fish."

Charles Frew, director of Asiatic Marine, which specializes in marine surveys and underwater filming, said he was shocked after a trip to Leyte in the Philippines last month.

"We did two days of wild diving far from any civilization. Not a single fish was to be seen, not one," he said.

Hong Kong traders travel through thousands of islands in Indonesia, Malaysia or the Philippines, collecting the prized fish alive from local fishermen.

Humphead wrasse, also known as Napoleon wrasse, commands as much as US$200 (HK$1,560) a kilogram. A blue adult can reach more than two meters and weigh 200kg.

"That's a lot of money for a fisherman," said George Woodman, a director of conservation group Teng Hoi.

"You can get a lot of people to move for that money. The search is very big."

REUTERS