Reference No. /
Project Title |
Project Description |
Applicant Organisation |
Funded Amount (HK$) |
Completion Report |
MEEF2024010B
Developing a non-invasive method to estimate the age of Chinese White Dolphins and Finless Porpoises using the DNA methylation rate# |
This application is part of a multi-year project aimed at developing a non-invasive method to estimate the age of Chinese White Dolphins (CWDs) and Finless Porpoises (FPs) in Hong Kong waters. Age is critical information for the study and conservation of cetaceans. One conventional method of estimating the age of toothed whales is by counting dental growth layer groups, which is both highly invasive and time- and labor-consuming. In this phase, the project team will determine the technical limitations of the methylation-based age estimation method for environmental samples and apply it. |
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
329,400
(For Year 26/27)
|
** |
MEEF2026007
Embracing our Tolo II- Fishery Stories, Public Engagement and Education |
This project aims to continue and deepen the various outcomes of the previously approved project, compiling local ecological knowledge (LEK) and socio-cultural stories into an electronic publication and interactive story map to ensure that these cultural heritages are preserved and guide decision-making when formulating sustainable fisheries management policies. Additionally, through public education activities, guided tours, exhibitions and social media promotion, this project will enhance Tolo’s coastal community and general public’s understanding of local fisheries, thus rally support from the society for the sustainable development of local sustainable fisheries and the establishment of fishery protection zones. |
World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong |
870,900 |
** |
MEEF2026012
Smart Fish 2.0: River-to-Sea Multi-Scenario Smart Detector |
Building on the team's existing Smart Fish prototype and preliminary RFID “smart-tag” trials for ghost-net detection, this project will develop Smart Fish 2.0—a lightweight, AI-enabled, modular monitoring-and-intervention platform. Geo-tagged imagery, measurements, and RFID detections will be curated into a spatiotemporal database and web dashboard for hotspot mapping, trend analysis, and management support. Field trials will be conducted at selected river outlets and adjacent coastal waters along North Lantau (near HKIA / 3RS waters) to validate performance and demonstrate measurable environmental benefits. |
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
1,000,000 |
** |
MEEF2026013
Deciphering the fluxes and cycling of “climate-cooling gas” dimethylsulfide in Hong Kong seagrass meadows through field experiments and multi-omics approaches |
This project aims to decipher the fluxes and cycling of the climate-cooling gas dimethylsulfide (DMS) in Hong Kong seagrass meadows through field experiments and multi-omics analyses. The project team’s preliminary estimations suggest that the DMS emitted from global seagrass meadows may contribute 3–5 Tg sulfur annually, representing up to 30% of the total oceanic DMS flux. This project will quantify the seasonal and spatial dynamics of DMS fluxes in Hong Kong seagrass meadows across complete tidal cycles. It will also clarify the biogeochemical cycling of DMS and identify the predominant biological sources of DMS. The team's findings will demonstrate that seagrass meadows function as active climate-cooling regulators, thereby supporting the integration of seagrass-derived climate services into carbon markets and policy frameworks, as well as informing conservation and management strategies for these critical coastal ecosystems. |
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
598,080 |
** |
MEEF2026016
AI-Driven In Vitro Toxicological Benchmarking and Ecological Risk Assessment of PFAS for Chinese White Dolphins in Hong Kong’s Western Waters |
This project aims to enhance mechanistic, organ-specific understanding of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) toxicity in Chinese White Dolphin (CWD), and establish a predictive framework for assessing risks from complex PFAS mixtures. The project will yield prioritized PFAS lists, tissue-specific toxicity thresholds, and risk hotspot maps, to provide the HKSAR government with a scientifically robust, predictive risk assessment framework which will empower evidence-based policy for PFAS source control, targeted monitoring of CWD habitats, and the long-term conservation of CWD. |
State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Health, City University of Hong Kong |
589,200 |
** |
MEEF2026018
Heavy Metal Contamination Assessment and Non-disruptive Remediation Strategy for Coastal Mudflat Ecosystems Adjacent to 3RS Project: Protecting Local Coastal Nursery Habitat |
This project aims to investigate anthropogenically derived heavy metal contamination in North Lantau and Western Hong Kong’s key mudflats, establish contamination baselines, validate non-destructive electrokinetic remediation (EKR), and deliver public education to raise public awareness of mudflat conservation. This study will provide critical information for evidence-based contamination management and remediation in intertidal habitats, offer scientific support for the conservation of iconic species—particularly Chinese horseshoe crabs—and facilitate the sustainable restoration of degraded mudflat habitats, thereby contributing to the broader conservation of coastal and marine biodiversity. |
State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Health, City University of Hong Kong |
560,000 |
** |
MEEF2026019
Exploring the Drivers, Assessing Risks, and Developing Management Responses to Abnormal Constriction in Chinese White Dolphins |
This project aims to undertake an exploratory assessment of abnormal rope loop constriction in CWD, examining its possible drivers, assessing associated risks, and identifying feasible management responses. The project will formulate conservation- and management-relevant recommendations and provide scientific support to relevant authorities, alongside outreach and awareness activities in selected coastal communities. Overall, this project seeks to establish an initial foundation for understanding and addressing abnormal constriction in CWDs in the PRE, thereby supporting the long-term conservation and welfare of this species.
|
South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute (SCSFRI), Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences |
729,888 |
** |
MEEF2026028
Conservation Ecology of Horseshoe Crab in Deep Bay and Tung Chung Bay (Phase 1): Demographics, Overwintering Refugia, and Subtidal Connectivity |
This project aims to understand the population dynamics and movement ecology of horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda) in Deep Bay and Tung Chung Bay. This project will track individuals using Systematic Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT)-tagging to generate site-specific abundance estimates, seasonal growth rates, and intertidal home ranges. Simultaneously active acoustic telemetry will map fine-scale movement trajectories to identify functional “exit corridors” and deep-water overwintering refugia used by sub-adults/adults emigrating from nursery grounds. Beyond immediate data collection, this project establishes the statistical prerequisite for future multi-year capture-recapture models, transforming the study into a dynamic long-term survival monitoring programme which enable stakeholders to implement science-based protection for the critical migratory pathways linking mudflats to open sea.
|
Ocean Park Corporation Zoological Operations and Conservation |
812,350 |
** |
MEEF2026031
The Welfare Assessment Tool for Sousa chinensis (WAT-SC): A framework for scientifically assessing the welfare of free-ranging Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins |
The Welfare Assessment Tool for Sousa chinensis (WAT-SC) represents the first standardised protocol designed specifically for Chinese White Dolphins (CWD). This tool can:
● Enable systematic welfare monitoring of CWD populations.
● Complement conventional marine mammal survey methods (e.g., photo-identification studies).
● Provide actionable data for evidence-based management decisions.
By integrating a welfare assessment score with conventional conservation approaches, the WAT-SC offers a proactive mechanism to more rapidly monitor the status of Chinese white dolphin in their human-dominated marine environment.
|
Southeast Asia Marine Mammal Research Ltd |
888,480 |
** |
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