Welcome to

HKU Oyster Hatchery

Hong Kong's first oyster hatchery

This Hong Kong’s first oyster hatchery is to:

Develop, setup and demonstrate a hatchery technology to produce healthy seeds from fast-growing, nutritious and tasty Hong Kong oyster species;
Supply those healthy seeds to selected local growers (free of cost) to stimulate their interest and raise their confidence in the hatchery technology;
Use oyster hatchery as a model system to create eco-entrepreneurship opportunities for oyster growers or others who are interested in sustainable aquaculture; and
Use as training center for knowledge exchange as well as platform for developing innovative technologies- both is expected to have a visible economic impact in the region

Microalgal farm room view

Broodstock → Spawning → Larvae → Pediveliger → Settlement → Spat → Grow-Out Oysters → Mature Adults

This controlled hatchery production system ensures a reliable supply of oyster seed, supports selective breeding programs, improves disease management, and contributes to the sustainable development of oyster aquaculture. For the Hong Kong oyster (Crassostrea hongkongensis), hatchery production is particularly important for enhancing seed availability, improving resilience to environmental stress, and supporting the long-term sustainability of oyster farming in the Pearl River Delta region.

Hatchery manual

A Hub for Research, Education and Innovation

Since 2022, we have supplied 10,000+ HKU oyster strings, including triploid seeds, to local oyster growers across Hong Kong. Alongside seed production, our hatchery has welcomed 1000+ visitors and delivered a wide range of training, outreach, and knowledge exchange programmes, connecting science, industry, and the community.