Eleven Marine Ecology and Fisheries Projects Granted Over HK$10 Million from Independent Funds

The independent Marine Ecology Enhancement Fund (MEEF) and Fisheries Enhancement Fund (FEF) have granted more than HK$10 million to 11 projects for a 12-month period from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020.

The 11 projects receiving funding in the latest round include six multi-year projects which have been granted their second or third phase of funding. The MEEF and FEF are in its third year since their inception in 2017. The funded projects are managed and conducted by universities, research organisations, associations from the fisheries industry, and others. Under the MEEF, some HK$6.3 million has been granted to six projects, with research subjects including Chinese White Dolphins, the impact of microplastics on Chinese horseshoe crabs, mangrove forests and the oyster population. From the FEF, five projects on pearl farming, impact of reclamation on the fisheries industry, redclaw crayfish farming and others have received a total of about HK$4.4 million.

Applications for the MEEF and FEF are reviewed and approved by their respective independently operated Management Committees (MCs) based on established criteria. Members of the MCs comprise scholars and experts from related fields, as well as representatives from green groups and fishermen’s associations. The progress and outcomes of the funded projects are monitored by the respective MCs.

The MEEF and FEF are independent funds set up in accordance with the conditions of the Environmental Permit for the expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-runway System, with the aim of enhancing the marine environment, ecology and fisheries resources in the vicinity of the project area. Airport Authority Hong Kong has injected a total of HK$400 million into the MEEF and FEF.

More details about the projects can be found at: http://env.threerunwaysystem.com/en/meef/meef_projects.html and http://env.threerunwaysystem.com/en/fef/fef_projects.html.