PRIMARY PRODUCTION
The larger vessels in Hong Kong's fishing fleet are among the most modern in the region, despite their traditionally wooden hulls. The department continues to stimulate the modernisation trend by maintaining development and advisory services on fishing vessel hull design (including steel hulls) and fishing methods, as well as fishing equipment which is available free to fishermen.
Training classes are held for operators, covering the conventional skills required for safe and effective fishing vessels. Increasingly, these extend towards the use of more sophisticated electronic aids such as radar, weather facsimile and, most recently, satellite communications. The department also organises sea-fishing endorsement courses to train operators to standards required by the Marine Department for steel-hulled fishing vessels. The courses are organised regularly at major fishing ports.
The department administers four loan funds servicing the fishing fleet. The Fisheries Development Loan Fund with $7 million provides long-term capital for the development of improved vessels, gear and equipment. The World Refugee Year Loan Fund, the Fish Marketing Organisation Loan Fund and the Co-operative for American Relief Everywhere Loan Fund, with a total capital of $28.62 million at the end of 1994, are revolving funds which provide shorter-term financing, mainly for recurrent purposes. By December 31, loans issued since the inception of the four funds totalled $274 million, with $251 million having been repaid.
At the end of the year, there were 64 co-operative societies and four federations supported by fisherfolk, with 2 086 members from the fishing community.
Close contact with the community is maintained by liaison with producer associations and fishermen's co-operative societies through seven Fish Marketing Organisation liaison offices at the major fishing ports.
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. In 1994, 49 per cent of locally-produced vegetables and 64 per cent of the landed marine fish were sold through these 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). It seeks to maximise returns to farmers by minimising marketing costs. 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, and surpluses are ploughed back into the development of marketing services and the farming industries. It provides ancillary services such as the quality control of vegetables (pesticide residue checking), marketing of premium vegetables, and the awarding of secondary and tertiary education scholarships to farmers' children. During the year, 34 611 tonnes of local vegetables valued at $101 million were sold through the organisation.
The Fish Marketing Organisation operates under the Marine Fish (Marketing) Ordinance, which also provides for the establishment of a Fish Marketing Advisory Board. The
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