Welcome to Prof. Yvonne Sadovy's Homepage   The Division of Ecology & Biodiversity, School of Biological Science, The University of Hong Kong

| Introduction| Research interests | Related activities | Postgraduate research | Key publications |

Prof. Yvonne Sadovy (B.Sc. (Hons.), Ph.D. Manchester.) Tel.: 22990603  Fax: 25176082  Address: Room 3S-01, The Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building,  The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China email: yjsadovy@hkucc.hku.hk

Introduction

Prof. Sadovy joined The University of Hong Kong in 1993 after five years as Director of the Fisheries Research Laboratory of the government of Puerto Rico and then as biologist with the Caribbean Fishery Management Council of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA, USA). She was previously based at the Marine Science Department of the University of Puerto Rico. Current teaching activities emphasize the biology, fisheries and conservation of fishes. Courses include Fish Biology, Fisheries and Mariculture at the undergraduate level and Environmental Management to postgraduates. From February - July, 2007, she was head of Department.

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Research interests

Principal research interests involve the biology and conservation of marine fishes, with particular emphasis on the biology of groupers (Serranidae), and other reef fishes vulnerable to fishery exploitation. Investigations of trade in live tropical food and ornamental fishes, both locally and regionally, complement and direct these interests as does the more theoretical issue of the risk of endangerment to marine pelagic spawning species from fishing, in general. Current field and laboratory-based research involve studies on reproduction, including sex differentiation, maturation and gonadal development, age and growth and the impacts of fishing in relation to reproductive biology.

Specific examples of ongoing research are studies on the reproductive biology of local groupers, such as Epinephelus awoara, the yellow grouper, and E. akaara, the Hong Kong grouper. A continuing interest in the tropical western Atlantic species, the Nassau grouper, E. striatus, forms part of a long-term data collection programme on the status of reef fish spawning aggregations, in general, for the Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations (SCRFA) www.scrfa.org

Left: E. akaara, the Hong Kong grouper. Highly valued for food but no longer as common as it once was. (Photo: A. Cornish) Right: E . striatus, the Nassau grouper, famous for its large aggregrations, many of which have declined or ceased to form.

Collaborative research includes work on the mandarinfish, a dragonet, Synchiropus splendidus (Callionymidae), carried out with Dr. Mariella Rasotto of the University of Padova, Italy, and George Mitcheson of HKU on reproductive biology and the impacts of selective fishing for the marine aquarium trade; large males are particularly favoured for their long first dorsal spine (below left). Field research is carried out in Palau and the Philippines.

Synchiropus splendidus- male courtship display. (Photo: G. Mitcheson)	Male - male aggression. (Photo: G. Mitcheson)	A female (above) and male rise to release sperm and eggs during spawning. (Photo: G. Mitcheson)

news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/04/0423_mandarinfish.html

Other ongoing collaborative projects include the humphead wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus, a reef fish listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and listed on Appendix II of CITES in 2004, an effort involving several workers in SE Asia. Research and other cooperation is underway on this species in Indonesia and with WWF (www.humpheadwrasse.info).

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Related activities

Prof. Sadovy is the Chair of the IUCN (World Conservation Union) Specialist Group on Groupers and Wrasses www.hku.hk/ecology/GroupersWrasses/iucnsg/index.htm, www.humpheadwrasse.info and collaborates with conservation groups such as the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong, the TRAFFIC - East Asia. She is the Director of the Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations (SCRFA) www.scrfa.org which seeks to conserve and manage spawning aggregations globally in recognition of their high vulnerability to exploitation.

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Postgraduate research

Masters and Doctoral postgraduates work on a range of species with particular emphasis on local fauna and also some international projects in progress. Recently completed and current research include intertidal fishes, taxonomy of Bathygobius spp., reef fish diversity and seasonality, age, growth, reproduction and social control of sex differentiation in Cephalopholis boenak, reproduction and population structuring using microsatellite DNA in Epinephelus polyphekadion, age, growth and reproduction in Amphiprion clarkii, mating system of the rockfish, Sebastiscus marmoratus, based on DNA fingerprinting, reproduction inNemipterus virgatus, and reconstruction of past marine ecosystems. Other project students work on a range of subjects including the marine aquarium trade, the live reef fish food trade, fecundity and morphometry, etc.

Bathygobius cyclopterus, Spotted frill goby, in Hong Kong, one of three local Bathygobius species. (Photo: A. Cornish)	Fishing and spawning aggregation of Epinephelus polyphekadion in Micronesia. (Photo: K. Rhodes)	Cephalopholis boenak, Chocolate hind, in Hong Kong (Photo: A. Cornish)

Female Amphiprion clarkii defending her eggs in Hong Kong. (Photo: A. Cornish)	The rockfish, Sebastiscus marmoratus, the most common scorpaenid in Hong Kong, has internal fertilization and multiple mating is rare. (Photo: A. Cornish)	Nemipterus virgatus in Hong Kong, threadfin bream, an important fishery species in the region. (Photo : P. Lau)

Left: Henry Lui (Macrobenthic faunal assemblages of a tidal shrimp pond at Mai Po Marshes), Thierry Chan (Reproductive biology, age and growth in Cephalopholis boenak), Bryan Yeung (Reproduction of Amphiprion clarkii), Prof. Sadovy, Ng Wai Chuen (Mating system of rockfish, Sebastiscus marmoratus), Kevin Rhodes (Reproduction and population structuring of Epinephelus polyphekadion), Patrick Lau (Reproduction of Nempterus virgatus) & Andy Cornish (Reef fish diversity and seasonality).

William Cheung (Reconstruction of past marine ecosystem)	Liu Min (Social control of sex differentiation in Cephalopholis boenak)	Virginia Lee (Taxonomy of Bathygobius spp.)	Timothy Lam (Intertidal fishes)	Rachel Wong (Technician)

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Publications from 2002 and Beyond
 

• Sadovy de Mitcheson, Y & Liu, M. (2008). Functional hermaphroditism in teleosts. Fish and Fisheries 9: 1-43.
• Sadovy de Mitcheson, Y., Cornish, A., Domeier, M., Colin, P., Russell, M. & Lindeman, K. (in press). Fish Spawning Aggregations; a global baseline. Conservation Biology.
• Liu, M. & Sadovy de Mitcheson, Y. (accepted for publication). Profile of a fishery collapse: why mariculture failed to save the large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea, Sciaenidae). Fish and Fisheries.
• Mous, P. J., Sadovy, Y., Halim, A. & Pet, J. S. (2006). Capture for culture: artificial shelters for grouper collection in SE Asia. Fish and Fisheries 7:58-72.
• Scales, H., Balmford, A., Liu, M., Sadovy, Y. & Manica, A. (2006). Keeping bandits at bay? Science 313:612-613.
• Chau, G. T .H. & Sadovy, Y. (2005). The use of mixed fish feed in Hong Kong's mariculture industry. World Aquaculture 36(4): 6-13.
• Cheung, W. & Sadovy, Y. (2005). Retrospective evaluation of data-limited fisheries: a case from Hong Kong. Fish and Fisheries 14: 181-206.
• Pet, J. S., Mous, P. J., Muljadi, A. H., Sadovy, Y. J. & Squire, L. (2005). Aggregations of Plectropomus areolatus and Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (groupers, Serranidae) in the Komodo National Park, Indonesia: monitoring and implications for management. Environmental Biology of Fishes 74:209-218.
• Liu, M. & Sadovy, Y. (2005). Habitat association and social structure of the chocolate hind, Cephalopholis boenak (Pisces: Serranidae: Epinephelinae), at Ping Chau Island, northeastern Hong Kong waters. Environmental Biology of Fishes 74:9-18.
• Sale, P. F., Cowen, R. K., Danilowicz, B. S., Jones, G. P., Kritzer, J. P., Lindeman, K. C.,Planes, S., Polunin, N. V. C., Russ, G. R., Sadovy, Y. J. & Steneck, R. S. (2005). Critical science gaps impede use of no-take fishery reserves. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 20(2): 74-80.
• Sadovy, Y. (2005). Trouble on the reef: the imperative for managing vulnerable and valuable fisheries. Fish and Fisheries 6: 167-185.
• Sadovy, Y. & Domeier, M. (2005). Are aggregation fisheries sustainable: reef fish fisheries as a case study. Coral Reefs 24 (2): 254–262.
• Sadovy, Y. & Domeier, M. (2005). Perplexing problems of sexual patterns in the fish genus Paralabrax (Serranidae, Serraninae). Journal of Zoology (London) 267 (1): 121-133.
• Sadovy, Y., Randall, J.E. & Rasotto, M.B. (2005). Skin structure in six dragonet species (Gobiesociformes; Callionymidae): interspecific differences in glandular cell types and mucus secretion. Journal of Fish Biology 66: 1411-1418.
• Liu. M. & Sadovy, Y. (2004) Early gonadal development and primary males in the protogynous epinepheline, Cephalopholis boenak. Journal of Fish Biology 65: 987-1002.
• Liu. M. & Sadovy, Y. (2004). The influence of social factors on adult sex change and juvenile sexual differentiation in a diandric, protogynous epinepheline, Cephalopholis boenak (Pisces, Serranidae). Journal of Zoology (London) 264: 239-248.
• Situ, Y. Y. & Sadovy, Y. J. (2004). A preliminary study on local species diversity and seasonal composition in a Hong Kong wet market. Asian Fisheries Science 17: 235-248.
• Dulvy, N. K., Sadovy, Y. & Reynolds, J. D. (2003). Extinction vulnerability in marine populations. Fish and Fisheries 4: 25-64.
• Ng, W. C., Sadovy, Y. & Leung, F. C. C. (2003). Mating system of the rockfish, Sebastiscus marmoratus as revealed by DNA fingerprinting. Ichthyological Research 50(4): 339-348.
• Rhodes, K. L., Lewis, R. I., Chapman, R. W. & Sadovy, Y. (2003). Genetic structure of camouflage grouper, Epinephelus polyphekadion (Pisces: Serranidae), in the western central Pacific. Marine Biology 142: 771-776.
• Sadovy, Y. & Cheung, W.L. (2003). Near extinction of a highly fecund fish: the one that nearly got away. Fish and Fisheries 4: 86-99.
• Sadovy, Y., Kulbicki, M., Labrosse, P., Letourneur, Y., Lokani, P. & Donaldson, T. J. (2003). The humphead wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus: synopsis of a threatened and poorly known giant coral reef fish. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 13 (3): 327-364.
• Warren-Rhodes, K., Sadovy, Y. & Cesar, H. (2003). Marine ecosystem appropriation in the Indo-Pacific: a case study of the live reef fish food trade. Ambio 32: 481-488.
• Chan, T. C & Sadovy, Y. (2002). Reproductive biology, age and growth in the chocolate hind, Cephalopholis boenak (Bloch, 1790). in Hong Kong. Marine and Freshwater Research 53: 791-803.
• Fennessy, S. T. & Sadovy, Y. (2002). Reproductive biology of a diandric protogynous hermaphrodite, the serranid Epinephelus andersoni. Marine and Freshwater Research 53: 147-158.
• Lui, T. H., Lee, S. Y. & Sadovy, Y. (2002). Macrobenthos of a tidal impoundment at the Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve, Hong Kong. Hydrobiologia 468: 193-212.
• Sadovy, Y. (2002). The vulnerability of reef fishes to exploitation. Fisheries Science 68 (Suppl. I). 135-139.
• Rhodes, K. L. & Sadovy, Y. (2002). Reproduction in the camouflage grouper, Epinephelus polyphekadion (Pisces: Serranidae), in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. Bulletin of Marine Science 70: 851-869.
• Rhodes, K. L. & Sadovy, Y. (2002). Temporal and spatial trends in spawning aggregations of camouflage grouper, Epinephelus polyphekadion, in Pohnpei, Micronesia. Environmental Biology of Fishes 63: 27-39.
• Sadovy, Y. J.& Lau, P. F. (2002). Prospects and problems for mariculture in Hong Kong associated with wild-caught seed and feed. Aquaculture Economics and Management 6(3/4): 177-190.
• Sadovy, Y. J. & Vincent, A. C. J. (2002). Ecological Issues and the Trades in Live Reef Fishes. Chapter 18, Coral Reef Fishes Dynamics and diversity in a complex ecosystem , Peter F. Sale, ed., Academic Press, San Diego , pp 391-420.

BOOKS

• Sadovy, Y. J., Donaldson,T. J., Graham,T. R., McGilvray, F., Muldoon, G. J., Phillips, M. J., Rimmer, M. A., Smith, A. & Yeeting, B. (2003). The Live Reef Food Fish Trade While Stocks Last. Manila: Asian Development Bank. 147 pp.
• Sadovy, Y. & Cornish, A. S. (2000). Reef fishes of Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press. 320 pp.

Other publications

• Sadovy, Y. (2008)). Reconciling fisheries with conserving biodiversity, Symposium 49, pp. 399-411. In Reconciling fisheries with conservation: proceedings of the Fourth World Fisheries Congress (eds. J. L. Nielsen, J. J. Dodson, K. Friedland, T. R. Hamon, J. Musick & E. Erspoor), American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.
• Sadovy, Y., Punt, A. E., Cheung, W., Vasconcellos, M. & Suharti, S. (2007). Stock Assessment Approach for the Napoleon fish, Cheilinus undulatus, in Indonesia: a tool for quota-setting for data-poor fishes under CITES Appendix II Non-Detriment Finding requirments. FAO Fisheries Circular. No. 1023 Rome, FAO, 71 p. (includes interactive computer interface for NDF calculations)
• Sadovy, Y. (2007). Report on current status and exploitation history of reef fish spawning aggregations in Palau. Western Pacific Fishery Survey Series: Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations, Volum 3. SCRFA and the Palau Conservation Society, pp. 40.
• Sadovy, Y. ( Ed). (2006). Development of fisheries management tools for trade in humphead wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus, in compliance with Article IV of CITES. IUCN Groupers & Wrasses Specialist Group. Final Report April, 2006, 103 pp.
• Pauly, D., Alder, J. et al & Sadovy, Y. (2005). Marine Fisheries Systems. Chapter 18, Ecosystems and Human Wellbeing: Current State and Trends, in The Millenium Ecosystem Assessment Series, Vol. 1, pp. 477-511.
• Sadovy, Y. (Ed). (2005). Napoleon Fish (humphead wrasse), Cheilinus undulatus, trade in southern China and underwater visual census survey in southern Indonesia. IUCN Groupers & Wrasses Specialist Group. 26 pp.
• Sadovy, Y. (2005). Troubled times for trysting trio: three aggregating groupers in the live reef food-fish trade. Secretariat for the Pacific Community Live Reef Fish Information Bulletin 14:3-6.
• Sadovy, Y., Colin, P. & Domeier, M. (2005). Monitoring and managing spawning aggregations: methods and challenges. Secretariat for the Pacific Community Live Reef Fish Information Bulletin 14: 25-29.
• Cornish, A. & Sadovy, Y. (2004). Diminishing Returns: spawning aggregations are at risk in the Indo-Pacific. Asian Diver April/May 2004 p. 28.
• Sadovy, Y. (2004). Spawning aggregations need managing: an update on the work of the Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations. Secretariat for the Pacific Community Live Reef Fish Information Bulletin 12: 29-30.
• Colin, P. L., Sadovy, Y. J. & Domeier, M. L. (2003). Manual for the Study and Conservation of Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations. Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations. Special Publication No. 1 (Version 1.0), pp. 1-98 (www.scrfa.org).
• Liu, M.& Sadovy, Y. (2003). Histological description of embryonic development in the chocolate hind, Cephalopholis boenak (Block, 1790) (Serranidae: Epinephelinae). pp 475-478. In: Perspectives on Marine Environmental Change in Hong Kong and Southern China: 1977-2001 (ed. B. Morton), Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong.
• Donaldson, T. J. & Sadovy, Y. (2002).Conservation Biology of Reef Fishes. pp. 86-88. In: Implications for coral reef management and policy; relevant findings from the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium. U.S. Agency for International Development.

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