Hong Kong Oyster Hatchery and
Innovation Research Unit (HKO-HIRU)
The University of Hong Kong
Congratulations!! Dang Xin, David Lee for publishing an article in the Journal "Environmental pollution
"Wild oyster population resistance to ocean acidification adversely affected by bacterial infection"
HKO-HIRU pursues vision of sustainable aquaculture
Marine scientists develop an initiative to help Hong Kong’s centuries-old oyster farms thrive in a sustainable way. Dr Thiyagarajan Vengatesen of the University of Hong Kong discusses its future and its social, ecological, and economic impacts.
Oyster aquaculture has been around for centuries in Hong Kong, but growers now face critical threats to their livelihood, such as pollution and climate change. To help the industry thrive sustainably, marine scientists at the University of Hong Kong have created the Hong Kong Oyster Hatchery & Innovation Research Unit. Vengatesen, who led the project to set up the hatchery, shares his insights about its aims and progress so far.
David, Dr Rajan, Mr Leung checking for oyster mortality at Deep bay
Understanding oyster winter mortality in Deep Bay
Winter mortality syndrome in oysters has severely impacted oyster aquaculture in Hong Kong and southern China, oyster growers claim to suffer from 40% to even 100% loss in harvest during Chinese New Year annually. The unpredicted mass mortality during winter period have never been scientifically studied before, hence oyster growers currently can only combat by harvesting early or moving the oysters to low salinity areas, both are not ideal and leads to economic lost. By studying and understanding the cause behind this mortality event, we can help oyster growers develop strategies to reduce harvest loss in the short term and develop a selective breeding program in the long run. The success of this project is a hope to revive the declining oyster aquaculture industry in Hong Kong.