https://dev.oceanexpert.org/expert/57349

ORCID : 0000-0002-4776-1689
ResearcherID : HLX-5303-2023

MSc

Teaching/Education
Decision Making & Policy

Biological Oceanography, Marine Ecology

Sharon Kwok Pong is Eurasian of Chinese and Germanic decent. She is a conservationist who has worked in Hong Kong’s education and public broadcasting and film industry since 1987. 
She is a renowned artist, actress, and an avid conservationist, Sharon Kwok has been a diver since she was 8 years of age and her love of the oceans has led her to become an active participant in the diving community. Sharon is an ADEX Ocean Ambassador, the first Asian inductee to the “Women Diver’s Hall of Fame” to date, and she was recently nominated as one of the ‘18 Most Influential Women in Ocean Conservation’ by Ocean Geographic. Her love of nature has also led her to be accepted into The Society of Women Geographers, and The Explorers’ Club. 
In 2013, Sharon founded AquaMeridian Conservation and Education Foundation, a non-profit organization in Hong Kong to provide a Chinese based yet international conservation entity, which aims to change mindsets to end demands for endangered wildlife and enable sustainable lifestyles through creative and cross-cultural programs. Some of AquaMeridian’s local projects include celebrity-led campaigns for endangered animal species, working with or lobbying for conservation initiatives with governments, education seminars at school and corporations, as well as underwater and beach clean-ups that involved thousands of volunteers.

North Pacific Ocean
South Pacific Ocean

Executive Director of AquaMeridian Conservation & Education Foundation; Director of Mission Blue; Director of WildAid; Co-founder of the Explorers Club Hong Kong; Inductee to Women Divers Hall of Fame; Advisor, Consultant and protem lecturer at The Hong Kong Baptist University on conservation of nature and globally endangered species; Advisor and protem lecturer at Technical University Hong Kong on conservation of nature and globally endangered species; Advisor and protem speaker at City University of Hong Kong on conservation of nature and globally endangered species; Advisor and protem Speaker at The Harbour School, Hong Kong on conservation of nature and globally endangered species; Public and In-House Speaker at World Wildlife Fund Hong Kong on conservation of nature and globally endangered species; Ocean Ambassador and Public figure/Speaker at Ocean Park, Hong Kong & the Ocean Park, Hong Kong Conservation foundation. Conservation Member of the Sierra Club Life Member since 1998; Speaker and member of the Society of Women Geographers; Guest speaker and member of the Royal Geographic Society since 2012; International Member, Expedition Organizer, and Hong Kong Founder of The Explorers Club.

English
Mandarin
Cantonese

https://www.aquameridian.org/

1982 – 1987 – School project on marine conservation and identification of locally endemic species to the Southeastern California waters -California, USA

1987 – 1990 – Academy of Arts – Degree in Fine Arts – California, USA

1991 – 2023 – REEF CHECK Hong Kong – Global Coral Reef Status Program – Annual Science & Dive Team Convener For Southern Hong Kong Waters – Hong Kong, China

1991 – 1996 – Chameleon Program – to increase the chameleon population whilst keeping the original species without forming hybrid or cross-breeding. Successfully was able to bring back 38 species from risk of extinction to acceptable wild and in captive levels. – California, USA / Hong Kong, China

1992 – 1993 – Television host for local Cantonese documentary on the care and responsibility towards pets and animals on a whole – ATV, Hong Kong, China

1993 – 2023 – Board of directors WWF-HK, Hong Kong, China

1998 – “June 8th” – Named “Sharon Kwok Day” by the Mayor of San Francisco – California, USA

2008 – 2023 – Ambassador for SPCA-HK, Hong Kong, China

2008 – 2023 – Senior Advisor to SPCA Cadets – Hong Kong, China

2008 – 2023 – Ambassador to Bloom (HK Marine Science NGO) – Hong Kong, China

2008 – 2023 – Ambassador/ Research Assistant for the Hong Kong Cetacean Research Project – Hong Kong, China

2009 – 2023 – Researcher and monitoring the global and local Ivory and Shark-Fin trade. Working with local Hong Kong film crews, ITV (England), French, American, Japanese and Australian film crews to showcase the local issue with Hong Kong being the “hub” for the global Ivory and Shark-fin trade. (This later aided in global bans, and the local ban in Ivory and reduction in Shark-Fin trade) – Hong Kong, China

2010 – 2011 – Lobbied and successfully pushed for the AB376 Shark-Fin ban, with the Californian Senate. – California, USA

2011 – Co-hosted and presenter together with Yao Ming and Dr Sylvia Earle at the May 12th, 2011 Charity Gala – California, USA

2011 – Speaker at the “Anti-Shark-Fin WildAid Media Event”, together with Yao Ming and Richard Branson. – Shanghai, China

2012 – Speaker at the World Ocean Summit held by The Economist, February 22nd- 24th, 2012 – Singapore.

2012 – 2023 – Advisor to Baptist University of Hong Kong, AISEC Group, focusing on the work of Ric O’Barry and the plight of dolphins in captivity. 

2012 – 2023 – Elected to Board of Directors at Mission Blue.

2012 – 2022 – Attended all IUCN open meetings for Species and a few for Biodiversity – Numerous Global Locations

2012 – Attended IUCN World Conservation Congress - Jeju, South Korea

2012 – Speaker about marine issues and the state of our oceans at the “Blue Ocean Film Festival”, Sept 24-30 – Monterey, California, USA 

2012 – Assisted Dr Jane Goodall in launching her “Roots and Shoots - Hong Kong” program. – Hong Kong, China

2012 – Hosted “Blue Hong Kong” charity fundraising dinner involving media, and numerous celebrities to advance the awareness for species conservation within Hong Kong and Globally. – Hong Kong, China

2013 – 2023 – Talks to local and international primary and secondary school students on endemic and endangered species and the illegal trade in wildlife in Hong Kong. Hong Kong, China

2013 – Participated in CITES COP16 CITIES and lobbied for the rise in protection for Sharks and Manta Rays. – Bangkok, Thailand

2013 – Filmed education bilingual video to promote Hong Kong’s Mai Po marshes – home to some 60,000 birds at the peak of the migratory season. – Hong Kong, China

2013 – Concepted and spearheaded the “FINished with Fins” campaign together with Aaron Wong, a Singapore based photographer. – Hong Kong, China

2013 – Awarded “US SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION”, in recognition of outstanding and invaluable service to community as Environmental Leader. – USA

2013 – Awarded “Certificate of Honor” by city and county of San Francisco for devotion to environmental stewardship. – California, USA

2013 – 2023 – Annual ELEPHANT WALK (on WORLD ANIMAL DAY/WEEKEND) to promote a global and local ban on the ivory trade, which was implemented in Hong Kong in 2021. – Hong Kong, China

2013 – November 14th, attended a national ivory crush in Colorado where 6 tons of illegal ivory was destroyed. _ Colorado, USA

2013 – 2023 – Establish AquaMeridian Conservation & Education Foundation, a self-funded foundation that promotes conservation of terrestrial and marine based endangered and threatened species, through education. – Hong Kong, China

2014 – January petitioned Hong Kong’s Agricultural, Fisheries, and Conservation Department to destroy the stockpile of seized ivory being held in Hong Kong. HKSAR Government announced that it would incinerate 29.5 tons of illegally seized ivory, the largest local destruction to date. – Hong Kong, China.

2014 – Hosted and spoke at the “Blue Award’s”, a ceremony for businesses that had adopted conservation measures, including three of the largest local ivory removing ivory from their shelves.

2014 – Held Press Conference with the Consulate General, speakers from the Environmental Department at the US Consulate in Hong Kong on the Shark Fin and Ivory ban. – Hong Kong, China

2015 – Testified at the California State Assembly in relation to Assembly Bill AB96 to ban the sale of Ivory in the state of California. _ California, USA

2015 – April 22-228 assisted the Wildlife conservation Society and the Indonesian Government in the care, rehabilitation and release of 100 seized pangolins in Medan, Sumatra, 

 2015 – 2016 – Dive Ambassador plus speaker on marine conservation at the Asia Dive Expo (ADEX)  - Singapore; Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing, China

2016 – Lobbing local Legislative Council (LegCo) and the media for more marine protected areas in Hong Kong southern waters – Hong Kong, China

2016 – Advocated for increasing the protected area for Green Sea turtles in Hong Kong from 0.5 hectares to 5 hectares. – Hong Kong, China

2016 – Spoke to 12 International schools about beach cleanups and Ocean Literacy, leading to 12 beach – Hong Kong, China

2016 – 2023 (Gapped due to COVID rules) Arranged an annual cleanup within Hong Kong on Earth Day sponsored by Niantic and Pokémon Go. – Hong Kong, China

2017 – Spoke at the Legislative Council (LegCo) for a total ban on the import and sale of Ivory. – Hong Kong China

2017 – Held the first annual “Save the Vaquita Day” as a fundraiser and spoke publicly and to the media on the plight of the vaquita and the global initiatives being under taken to save them. – Hong Kong, China

2017 – Met with and held planning sessions with the President of Palau to help promote sustainable tourism without affecting the delicate biodiversity of the islands. – Palau, Pacific Ocean   

2018 – Submitted draft proposal for the “Hong Kong South Hope Spot”, future Marine Protection Area. – Hong Kong, China

2019 – Partner opening of the Hong Kong Battery Recycling Centre, with a capability to handle 40,000 tons of waste batteries per annum and the only full cycle battery recycling plant in Hong Kong. – Hong Kong, China

2019 – Spoke at LegCo about implementing Ivory ban and the control of Waste Lead Acid Batteries as Hazardous Waste. _ Hong Kong, China

2019 – Meet and welcome the crew from the catamaran “Race For Water” together with the EPD and other local conservationists. – Hong Kong, China

2019 – Held meetings with Environmental Protection Department to act upon waste lead acid batteries management within Hong Kong – Hong Kong, China 

2019 – Spoke at LegCo for the increase in the nesting protection area for the Green Sea Turtles to 9 months per year and up to 100 hectares. – Hong Kong, China 

2020 – Local television media series “Conservation and Safeguarding Wildlife in Hong Kong”, a mini TV series that focused on how people can help local wildlife without over-interaction. – Hong Kong, China

2020 – Successfully achieved the expansion in the protected area for Green Sea Turtles in Hong Kong, with a increase from 5 months per year and 0.5 hectares to 7 months per year and 98 hectares. – Hong Kong, China

2021 – Deck 8 of the live aboard citizen science program ship Sylvia Earle officially named the “Sharon Kwok” deck. – Home Port Australia

2021 – Expanded the Hong Kong Battery Recycling Centre to accept Waste Lead Acid Batteries and Lithium- ion Batteries. – Hong Kong, China

2021 – Educational TV series “Talk about Conservation & the Environment”, broadcast on Metro Broadcast Corporation. – Hong Kong, China

2022 – Formed and self-funding the “Hong Kong Parrot Rescue” Association, a group that is dedicate to Rescuing, Rehoming, Recovering, and Rehabilitating and of the 402 species of parrots (Psittaciformes) – Hong Kong, China

2022 – Hong Kong South Hope Spot, in excess of 41,700 hectares of marine water is now officially protected under the Mission Blue Hope Spot program. Lobbying to the Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department to make this approval by the lo0cal government is ongoing. – Hong Kong, China

2023 – Awarded “Marine Conservation Lifetime Ambassador” from the Hong Kong Diver & Instructors Association. – Hong Kong, China 

2023 – Entered into a joint project with %%% to issue EU approved “Carbon Neutrality Disposal Certificates”, for waste collected in beach cleanups and direct actions, thus being the first in Asia to issue these certificates for ocean-bound plastics. – Hong Kong, China

2023 – Awarded the “Protection of Endangered Species Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Hong Kong Pet Traders Association. – Hong Kong, China

2023 – Awarded the “2023 Pet Ambassador” from the Hong Kong Exhibition Group Limited- Hong Kong, China

QUALIFICATIONS: