PRIMARY PRODUCTION
103
Fresh fish sales through the Marketing Organization increased very slightly but sales of salt and dried fish went down by almost 45%, underlining the continuing trend on the part of fishermen to market as much of their catch as possible when it is fresh. The average annual wholesale prices for both fresh and salt or dried fish differed only slightly from the levels of 1959.
The embargo on the importation of salt and dried fish from the Colony, imposed by the Chinese People's Government in June 1950, remained in force throughout the year. Salt fish exporters seeking other outlets have met with little success in the face of increasing competition from other countries in the region. During the year 17,448 piculs of salt and dried fish were exported, mainly to the USA, Canada, Thailand and Singapore.
The provision of cheap credit is one of the most important of the services which the Fish Marketing Organization offers to local fishermen. The Organization's revolving loan fund, established in 1946, has made 5,439 loans totalling $7,673,000; of this some $6,532,000 had been repaid at the end of the year. In 1957 the Co-operative for American Relief Everywhere (CARE) donated $31,000 to form a revolving loan fund for shrimp fishermen. This fund is administered by the Organization and loans totalling $54,000 have been made; repayments to this fund total $46,000. The Organization also carries out investigations and acts as collecting agent for the two Government loan funds administered by the Fisheries Division of the Co-operative Development and Fisheries Department.
A further important side'to'
the Organization's development programme is the provision of schooling facilities up to Primary IV standard for the children of fishermen. Classes have been extended to Primary VI in two fishing centres, Shau Kei Wan and Ap Chau, and adult education classes have been opened at Sha Tau Kok and Shau Kei Wan. Nine schools have been established by the Organization, eight of which now come under the Education Department's Subsidy Code. At the close of the year 1,616 fisher- men's children were receiving education at schools wholly or partly financed by the Organization and 994 were attending other schools on scholarships provided by the Organization. All Fish Marketing Organization schools have Advisory Committees com- posed of leaders of the fishing communities served by the schools.