HONG KONG (AP) - Chanting and cheering, hundreds of Buddhists sent the fish on a swim for freedom, putting them onto a pair of stainless steel slides that dropped off the side of a ferry into the South China Sea.
Followers of Buddhism are duty-bound to save any trapped animal — and the Chinese have adopted the practice and made a tradition of buying, then freeing fish, birds and turtles in the belief it can bring good fortune.
Despite the good intentions of everybody on the ferry, and thousands of fish going down the slides, not many got very far. Some stopped flipping almost immediately, and for those that started swimming, fishermen were waiting nearby, nets in place.
As far as environmentalists are concerned, the fish that do get away are a potential problem.
Their ceremonial release creates ecological hazards, according to conservationists who say the nature lovers are effectively killing the animals with misplaced kindness.
"They don't know about the animals, they don't know about the environment, so they are playing with variables that just aren't understood," said Paul Crow, a zoologist at the Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden research institute here.
The animals can spread disease and parasites picked up in captivity, and some threaten biodiversity as alien species are thrust into new habitats.
Some end up where they can't survive.
Freshwater turtles have been seen scrambling toward the seashore for safety after benevolent souls mistakenly thought they came from the sea, said So Ping-man, a senior conservation officer at the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. The salt water blinds and kills them.
Freshwater fish dropped into the sea are similarly doomed.
Many local religious leaders shrug off the criticism, saying they know how to frequently and safely release animals that will thrive in nature.
"We seldom come across animals that are unfit for the environment since such creatures either can't be imported or they die once they've arrived here," said the Venerable Kok Kwong, president of the Hong Kong Buddhist Association.
"Birds that can fly are basically healthy," said Lai Chuk-kwong, a construction site foreman and Buddhist temple member. "Those who say releasing birds can cause illness are worrying too much."
Many claim their lives improve after freeing the animals.
"My son got healthier," said 37-year-old housewife Winnie Kwan, who brought 5-year-old Ian to help slide red snappers, star snappers and groupers into the sea.
The Buddhists say birds and fish can find their way home, even as far away as Indonesia, Malaysia, northern China and South America.
Conservationists doubt it, although they acknowledge it's hard to quantify any environmental damage. No specific studies have been done, So said.
But invasive North American turtles and bullfrogs have become established here and now defeat indigenous species for food and space, the World Wide Fund For Nature said.
Some Chinese celebrate birthdays by freeing one goldfish or songbird for every year they've lived.
Fishmonger Lee Ngan-ngor, 50, always lets carp off the hook, because its Chinese name is pronounced the same as her surname.
Buddhist Nancy Lee says there's no problem in releasing birds.
"I do it whenever and wherever I wish to," Lee said after picking up a cage of six sparrows from a local bird market, apparently without realizing two were already dead.
Sparrows are plentiful around Hong Kong and no one keeps them as pets. So dealers capture them just to sell them to people who want to release them.
Just about every bird market stall has a sign touting the cheapest option for release — a sparrow or a white-backed munia costing five Hong Kong dollars (64 U.S. cents).
But many die being captured or transported, or in the crowded local bird markets, said Ng Cho-nam, president of The Conservancy Association.
Bird store owner Johnny Wong acknowledged sparrows, Japanese white-eyes and white-backed munias are recaptured by traders soon after their release, then sold again at a discount.
Some customers go all out, freeing magpie robins and foreign cockatoos costing more than $1,280 each.
The recent Buddhist boat outing netted $3,974 for businessman Cheng Sui-sing, who supplied the fish.
But environmentalists contend Hong Kong should establish rules — there are now none — to bring the animal releasers under control.
The government conservation officer, So, said any workable regulations would be tricky to write and hard to enforce. Officials call informal communication of sound guidelines the better approach.
Zoologist Crow disagrees.
"They've always done it, so they always will until somebody puts a foot down," Crow said. "In most first world countries, they've learned from experience and serious problems that you cannot afford to allow the public just to go dumping animals into the wild."