PRIMARY PRODUCTION
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An estimated 24 000 fishermen work the fleet of some 4 700 vessels, of which over 83 per cent are mechanised. There are four major types of fishing in terms of gear: trawling, lining, gill-netting and purse-seining. Trawling is the most important, accounting for 75 per cent or 150 000 tonnes of marine fish landed in 1987. The total landed catch of live and fresh marine fish available for local consumption in 1987 amounted to 110 000 tonnes, with a wholesale value of $980 million. This represented 86 per cent of the local consumer demand.
Pond fish farming is one of the most important culture activities. Fish ponds under active cultivation covering 1 400 hectares are located in the New Territories, mostly in the Yuen Long district. Traditional pond fish farming is similar to that practised in China for hundreds of years. Several different carp species are cultured in the same pond, each deriving its food from a different source and so making the utmost use of the nutrients introduced. Owing to the increasing urbanisation of the New Territories, the land area devoted to fish ponds has gradually declined. During the year, the ponds yielded 6 500 tonnes, or 12 per cent of the local consumption of freshwater fish.
Marine fish culture has developed considerably in the past decade. Young fish captured from their natural environment as well as imported fish fingerlings are reared in cages suspended from rafts in sheltered bays throughout Hong Kong, particularly in the eastern New Territories. Under the Marine Fish Culture Ordinance, 28 fish culture zones have been designated and all marine fish culture operations are now required to be conducted at sites within these zones under licences issued by the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries. By year-end, 1 854 licences had been issued. Live marine fish supplied by this activity in 1987 amounted to 2 870 tonnes, valued at $187 million.
Marketing
Much of the wholesale marketing of primary products – particularly fresh foods - is the responsibility of the Agriculture and Fisheries Department and the Vegetable and Fish Marketing Organisations. This year, 32 per cent of the total quantity of locally-produced vegetables, and 60 per cent of the total landings of marine fish were sold through the organisations.
The Vegetable Marketing Organisation operates under the Agricultural Products (Marketing) Ordinance, which also provides for the establishment of a Marketing Advisory Board to advise the Director of Marketing (the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries). The organisation is responsible for transporting locally produced vegetables from the New Territories to the wholesale market in Kowloon, providing marketing facilities, and supervising sales and financial transactions in the market. Revenue is obtained from a 10 per cent commission on sales.
The organisation is non-profit-making. It seeks to maximise returns to farmers by minimising marketing costs. It also provides ancillary services such as the acquisition and sale of agricultural supplies to farmers and the awarding of secondary and tertiary education scholarships to the children of farmers. During the year, 57 300 tonnes of local vegetables valued at $142 million were sold through the organisation.
The Fish Marketing Organisation operates under the Marine Fish (Marketing) Ordin- ance, which also provides for the establishment of a Fish Marketing Advisory Board. The ordinance provides for the control of the landing, wholesale marketing, and the import and export of marine fish. The organisation operates seven wholesale fish markets. Revenue comes from a six per cent commission on the proceeds of sales. Surplus earnings are channelled back into the industry in the form of various services such as low-interest loans