Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: the woman growing coral babies in lab to save ecosystem

Apple Chui Pui-yi has been revitalising coral reefs in Hong Kong using innovative restoration techniques, all while empowering a new generation of ocean stewards through her academy.

Known to many as “Coral Mum”, the assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong leads the only research team in the city capable of successfully breeding baby corals in a laboratory before out-planting them in the sea.

The Coral Academy founder’s innovative methods, including asexual and sexual propagation, have been instrumental in ensuring a sustainable and scalable source of the tiny organisms to restore degraded habitats around Tolo Harbour and Channel, which were severely damaged by pollution and coastal development.

“What bothers me is that most people in Hong Kong have never even heard about the corals that used to be in Tolo Harbour and Channel. They do not know what we’ve lost,” Chui said.

“That is why I’m committed to bringing these precious ecosystems back to life.”

The passionate marine biologist and coral restoration expert has been named a finalist in the community category for the Spirit of Hong Kong Awards 2024.