Grants help secure healthier oceans

The Marine Ecology Enhancement Fund (MEEF) and Fisheries Enhancement Fund (FEF) have awarded grants worth over HK$10.7 million to 11 projects for a 12-month period from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024. The funded projects are managed and conducted by universities, research organisations and fisheries industry associations. 

The MEEF has granted over HK$5.4 million to eight projects, covering subjects such as repurposing shellfish shells to reduce landfill waste and restore marine habitats, assessing human impacts on coastal wetlands, studying the potential risks of marine microplastics in the waters around Lantau, and more. Meanwhile, about HK$5.3 million from the FEF has been allocated to three projects, including a Tai O fishing village tourism project, an in-depth tour project to enhance public understanding of fisheries and marine ecology conservation, and a project to establish a pathogen-free grouper fry culture technique in Hong Kong. 

Established in 2016, the MEEF and FEF represent the long-term commitment of the Airport Authority (AA) to enhance the marine environment, ecology and fisheries resources. AA has injected HK$400 million into the two funds, and around HK$80 million has been granted to date.