180 | Food Safety, Environmental Hygiene, Agriculture and Fisheries
birds were culled at the wholesale market. Imports and other movements of live poultry were halted for 21 days.
The AFCD runs training programme for staff who carry out poultry culling while the AFCD and FEHD conduct culling drills annually.
Public Markets and Cooked Food Markets
Two new markets were opened: Aldrich Bay Market on August 1 and Wan Chai Market on September 1, bringing to 105 the number of public markets run by the FEHD.
Hawkers
The FEHD regulates hawking activities in Hong Kong. As at December 31, 2008, there were 6 589 hawkers carrying out business in licensed fixed-pitch stalls and 546 itinerant hawkers.
Slaughterhouses
There are three licensed slaughterhouses in Hong Kong. They are the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse, Tsuen Wan Slaughterhouse and Cheung Chau Slaughterhouse which the FEHD oversees to ensure they meet the prescribed hygiene standards.
During the year, 38 512 health certificates and 9501 entry permits for local pigs were verified at the slaughterhouses, and 31 009 samples of urine and tissue were taken from animals there for checks on veterinary drug residues. A total of 1 544 450 pigs, 28 606 cattle and 10 089 goats were slaughtered at the three facilities. Meat supplied by the slaughterhouses is inspected by health officials before it is released for sale.
The FEHD's Intelligence Unit continued to track down vendors selling chilled meat as fresh meat and regularly joined forces with the Customs and Excise Department and the Police to curb meat smuggling. Together they carried out 33 raids in 2008; made seven arrests and seized 1.4 tonnes of contraband meat. The crackdown also resulted in two Fresh Provision Shop licences being cancelled.
Public Education
The FEHD runs a Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre in Kowloon Park, Tsim Sha Tsui, and a Communication Resource Unit at the Fa Yuen Street Municipal Services Building in Mong Kok to stress the importance of food safety and environmental hygiene.
During the year, 2 770 health talks were given to the general public and various target groups, including food handlers, school children, foreign domestic helpers, the elderly and new arrivals to Hong Kong. A vehicle was also used as a mobile education centre to spread the word.
A mass publicity campaign promoting the 'Five Keys to Food Safety' was launched in mid-2008. The message was hammered across in posters, public