PRODUCTION
and survey vessel. The Fisheries Research Unit, attached to the Zoological Department of the Hong Kong University, was established during the year and a 60 ft. fisheries research vessel, the "Alister Hardy", was launched in November. Plans for a model purse seiner, to be built from Colonial Develop- ment and Welfare funds, are well advanced. It is hoped to launch this vessel during 1954 and that it will supply the need for a more modern type purse seiner which can be built in local Chinese shipyards. A Fishing Junk Mechanization Exhibition was held in February to demonstrate and explain the benefits of mechanization and the credit facilities available to fishermen from focal engine importers. Towards the close of the year a scheme of loans to fishermen, under the control of the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, was approved by Government. A loan of $800,000 was made avail- able for this purpose from Colonial Development and Welfare funds.
All these activities have resulted in the mechanization of 116 fishing vessels, as compared with 8 in 1952. By the end of December, 1953, the number of mechanized fishing vessels in the Hong Kong fishing fleet was 254.
It is worth recording that during the year numerous inquiries were made by local fishermen concerning the possibility of replacing the traditional junk by a more efficient and modern type of vessel. The model purse seiner referred to above will partly fill this need but plans are being currently investigated for a smaller type of inshore fishing vessel to meet the demand of fishermen.
Fish Ponds, Oyster Beds and Fish Fry. Fish farming in the New Territories involves about 500 acres of fish ponds with an annual production of about 300 tons of carp and mullet. Experiments continued in an endeavour to introduce carp rear- ing in paddy fields. Fish fry export by air, which was intro-
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