Case studies

Funds to Support Marine Conservation and Sustainable Fisheries

In 2020, CLP contributed to the allocation of HK$100 million to two environmental enhancement funds. The funds were set up to support marine ecology conservation and sustainable development of the fishing industry in the vicinity of the Hong Kong Offshore LNG Terminal Project.

The Hong Kong Offshore LNG Terminal Project is under development by CLP Power and HK Electric. It is a key project to help secure diversified and sufficient natural gas supply for use in power generation in Hong Kong. Subsea gas pipelines will be constructed to deliver liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the terminal to the Combined-Cycle Gas Turbine power stations of both power companies. This offshore facility will ensure stability and diversity in the future supply of natural gas to the city at competitive prices.

To support marine ecology conservation and sustainable development of the fishing industry in the vicinity of the Terminal, CLP Power and HK Electric will inject a total of HK$100 million into two funds established under this project:

• The Marine Conservation Enhancement Fund – supports initiatives related to conserving and enhancing marine habitats, habitat restoration and rehabilitation, eco-tourism, and environmental education, among others.
• The Fisheries Enhancement Fund – supports initiatives on fisheries-related education and tourism, enhancement on fisheries resources, sustainable fishery development, and fishery equipment upgrade programmes.

These initiatives were planned and aligned with the recommendations of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) conducted before the project commencement phase. The funds will subsidise community initiatives and biodiversity enhancement efforts of the marine environment around southern and western Hong Kong waters.

One steering committee and two separate management committees comprised of relevant stakeholder groups have been set up to guide and support the operation of the funds. The funds were opened for application in October 2020 and the first round of applications attracted more than 40 entries from academics, non-governmental organisations, and fisheries organisations.

The offshore LNG terminal project is under development by CLP Power and HK Electric (simulated photo).