PRODUCTION
75
The Animal Industries Division is concerned with pig and poultry breeding work at Castle Peak, Sheung Shui Pig Station, and Saikung Agricultural Station. More attention is now being given to local breeds of poultry and pig stock, to the White Leghorn as an egg-producer, and the Japanese Middle White and Berkshire pig breeds. This is the result of four years of study of many imported breeds in the light of market requirements. The division is also responsible for animal disease control, and investigations into animal diseases and animal husbandry.
The Fisheries Division carried out experimental fishing from the motor research trawler Alister Hardy, with an otter trawl and a Danish seine, in cooperation with the Fisheries Research Unit of Hong Kong University. The Division's 30-foot fishing boat continued to be used for demonstration shrimp beam trawling, inshore otter trawling and purse seining. Nylon nets were introduced to fishermen, and experiments were made on the preservation of ramie and cotton fishing nets. With the help of the Marine Department, plans for a second 30-foot boat, with a much-improved hull form and embodying many changes in general arrangement (all of which could be adopted with advantage by fishermen), were completed at the end of the year. This vessel, which will be constructed in a primitiye junk-building yard from templets provided by the Division, will be used to demonstrate the use of the Norwegian mechanical net roller. This will make it possible for purse seiner fishermen to operate a net approximately four times the size of their present nets. Other activities of the Fisheries Division include a scheme for loans to fishermen for winches and for mechanization of their junks, financed by Colonial Development and Welfare. 75 loans, varying from $600 to $10,000 each, were made. A fisheries exhibition was held in January, at which diesel engines, fishing gear and other equipment were displayed. The exhibition was visited by nearly 80,000 persons. Training facilities for fishermen continued to be provided. 134 coxswains, 25 engineers, and 11 skippers of British-registered trawlers passed examinations set by the Marine Department, and were granted Certificates of Competency.
The Forestry Division's activities are described above, under Forestry.