Sustainability

Biodiversity

Chinese White Dolphin

The AA aims to avoid and minimise adverse impacts on biodiversity related to the development and operation of HKIA.

The Airport Authority (AA) recognises that the development and operation of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) can impact the rich biodiversity and natural ecosystems around the airport. The AA is committed and has a duty of care to avoid, minimise and mitigate identified and potential impacts and is motivated to work to protect and enhance the rich and varied habitats and natural environment around HKIA.

Our Story

Marine Ecology and Fisheries Enhancement Strategy

Marine Ecology and Fisheries Enhancement Strategy

The AA committed to developing and implementing a Marine Ecology and Fisheries Enhancement Strategy (MEFES) as a long-term voluntary undertaking initiated during the early stages of the Three-Runway System expansion works. The MEFES comprises both statutory and voluntary initiatives for enhancing the marine environment for the benefit of marine ecology (including Chinese White Dolphins) and to provide support and assistance to the fishing community and to encourage more sustainable fishing operations. Initiatives are either implemented directly by the AA, or comprise a range of projects supported by the Marine Ecology Enhancement Fund (MEEF) and the Fisheries Enhancement Fund (FEF).   

Pearl farming
Crayfish
Horseshoe crab

Marine Ecology Enhancement Fund and Fisheries Enhancement Fund

In late 2016, the AA established the MEEF and FEF with a total capital injection of $400 million. These funds, run by independent management committees, aim to enhance the marine environment for the benefit of marine ecology and fisheries resources.

Up to 2022, 6 years into the programme, the two funds have granted HK$69 million to support a total of 50 marine ecology and fisheries projects. Funded projects are typically managed and carried out by universities, research organisations, and fisheries industry associations.

Examples of funded projects include:

 

Proposed North Lantau Marine Park

Proposed North Lantau Marine Park

A new North Lantau Marine Park (NLMP) will be designated as a mitigation measure for marine habitat impacted by the Three-Runway System (3RS) Project. The 2,400 hectares of the NLMP will connect with the existing and adjacent marine parks to form a combined marine park matrix of about 4,500 hectares. The interconnected protected area is expected to provide positive and synergistic effects for the conservation of marine ecology including the Chinese White Dolphins (CWDs) and fisheries resources.  The AA is also pursuing and evaluating a range of potential enhancement initiatives that may serve to enrich the local marine environment and support healthy fisheries in conjunction with the upcoming designation of the NLMP. 

Voluntary Enhancement Measures

The AA is also implementing a number of marine ecology and fisheries enhancement projects in Lantau waters on a voluntary basis under the MEFES.

Artificial Reef (AR) Deployment Pilot Test

About 100 AR units were deployed in waters to the west of HKIA’s South Runway in 2021 as a pilot for investigating the value of ARs for enhancing marine ecology and fisheries resources in waters surrounding HKIA.  Monitoring during the pilot identified 51 species of marine flora and fauna along with significantly higher abundance/coverage of mobile and colonization species in and on the ARs after one year of deployment. 

Shellfish Reef Deployment Pilot Study

In partnership with The Nature Conservancy and the University of Hong Kong, the AA also investigated the value of deploying artificial oyster reefs along the northeastern section of the newly formed seawall in 2021 to recreate a natural habitat aiming to promote proliferation of shellfish and other marine life.  Monitoring during the pilot identified over 35 recruited species, including mussels, snails, tubeworms, crabs, sea-stars, shrimps, barnacles and bivalves in the shellfish reef areas and that organisms recruited well over the whole reef with colonisation observed. 

Other voluntary initiatives include: