Soft shores are particularly vulnerable to human exploitation; however, they exhibit a variety of habitats which provide refuge for a diversity of flora and fauna. This study describes a survey of 13 soft shores in Hong Kong with information on species diversity, sediment characteristics, shore extent, pollution threat, degree of naturalness, linkage with other ecological habitats, and degree of social/economic importance. Data collected were subjected to multivariate statistical analyses, so as to identify shores that have significant ecological status and conservation value for management purposes.