PRIMARY PRODUCTION
75
Landings by the local fishing fleet in 1964 were generally good although the activities of the fleet were badly affected by successive typhoons and threats of strong winds late in the year.
OYSTERS, PEARLS AND POND FISH
Edible oysters have been cultivated in the waters of the Colony for some 700 years. The principal area of cultivation is Deep Bay where 189 tons of fresh oyster meat, valued at approximately $789,000 were produced from 6,060 acres along the New Terri- tories' shores of the Bay. Some of this was processed into dried meat or oyster juice and exported to markets overseas. After several years of poor yields, the production this year was particularly low-the oyster beds having suffered typhoon damage and being adversely affected by the prolonged drought.
Four commercial pearling companies operate on sites surveyed and licensed by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. Three of the sites are in the Tolo Channel and Double Haven areas and one in Port Shelter. It is still too early to judge the success of their activity. To assist research into the requirements of this infant industry a small pearl culture research station has been constructed at Kat O in Mirs Bay.
Fish ponds are still increasing and now cover 1,360 acres mostly along the Deep Bay coastline, near Yuen Long. The most important species reared is grey mullet which requires water with a salinity above 0.1 per cent. Fry are found in local coastal waters, in February and March, and the supply in 1964 was sufficient to meet local requirements, more than five million being collected. Fry of four other important species, silver carp, grass carp, big head and mud carp, were obtained from China between May and August, about five million being imported. Common carp and edible goldfish are bred locally and, respectively some 180,000 and 100,000 fry were raised to meet trade requirements. Edible goldfish require fresh water (less than 0.4 per cent salinity), and common carp tolerate up to one per cent salinity. Total pond fish production, for the year, was estimated at 320 tons, valued at some $1.3 million, which represented about 1.5 per cent of the local consumption of pond fish. Fry of various species re-exported during the year totalled 5.3 million.