AAHK's independent funds grant $16mn to boost marine ecology and fisheries resources

Two independent funds established by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) have granted over HK$16 million to support 16 projects focused on enhancing the local marine environment, marine ecology, and fisheries resources in the upcoming fiscal year. 

Around HK$6.4 million has been granted to nine projects under the Marine Ecology Enhancement Fund (MEEF). They include tracking the potential distribution of the critically endangered Chinese Bahaba, assessing the ecological and genetic diversity of marine clams, analyzing fishery landscapes and population health in a depleted seascape, and more. 

The seven projects sponsored by another fund -- the Fisheries Enhancement Fund (FEF) -- will receive more than HK$10 million for the works on the application and evaluation of nanobubble technology to restore sediment layers, exploring the feasibility of cultivating tomato hind, and enhancing local fishery resources through scientific release and breeding of fish fry, among others. 

Proposed projects for the funds are assessed and selected based on criteria that include the objectives, past performance, methodology, manpower, resources, and budget. 

The management committee members include field experts, scholars, as well as representatives from green groups and fishermen's associations. 

The MEEF and FEF were established in 2016 by AAHK and it has injected a total of HK$400 million into the two funds, of which HK$112 million has been granted to projects.

(Katrina Tong)