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A BRIEF REPORT ON TH¿ FISKERINS OF HONG KONG DURING TAS JAPANESE OCCUPATION 25th DEC. 1941 10 AUGUST 1945.
Rougnly between the period 25th Dec. 1941 and February 1942, Hong Kong was in a chaotic state. The people were in a panic and rushed to leave the Colony as if something more fatal than the war would happen very soon. Fishing junks were free to make their own choice of leaving or staying, but they were unable to go out to fish because they could not find rice to feed the crew. It did take time for the Japanese to make proper arrangements to supply them with food and to have catches of fish landed for sale.
A new government was inaugurated in February 1942. In this government a Department of Fisheries and Agriculture, besides several others, was established. Conditions then became calmer than before and the new government began to pass laws and orders to restrict the activities of the population. Fishermen were encouraged to go out fishing but in spite of this were machine-gu ned by the naval gunboats: No one was in position to say what was the matter. Every Chinese and third national had to register and then received a ration ticket for rice, oil, sugar, salt, fire-wood and matches. The rice ration did continue for a considerable time until April 1944 but some others ceased half-way.
The Japanese saw, as a well organized nation at war should have done, that in order to win the war all material r sources and man power under their control should be mobilized no matter how trifling and tedious the task might be. The Japanese paid careful attention to Hong Kong fisheries for several reasons: first of all their large army and navy consisting of more than 300,000 men in South China had to be fed, and fish are their favourite and a wholesome food. Secondly, Hong Kong is the best fishing centre on the South China Coast and, thirdly, they could send many tra ned men and experts to this strateg. cally important point to manage the fisheries. Following a similar scheme to that employe in Japan and formosa, they re-organized the whole fish handling system and carries out the new plan with considerable success.
A Director of Fisheries was created under the department of Fisheries and Agriculture who, with the help of a few assistants, supervised two main divisions namely, the South China Sea Fisheries Control Corporation, HongKong Branch (
Ƈ ± R i
and the fishing syndicates at various fishing centres of the occupied localities (R).
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The South China Sea Fisheries Control Corporation was formerly a branch of the Japanese Fishing Company of Japan and Taiwan (****). In 1943 this Japanese Fishing Company was re-organized and put under the control of Government. The Hong Kong South China Sea Fisheries Control Corporation controlled further two main organizations. (1) The Dairy Farm Ice and Cold Storage Co. Ltd. The cold storage was used solely for the storage of salt and fresh fish for military consumption. (2) The Hong Kong wholesale fish market (t). This was an efficient organization to control the mariñe products during peace as well as war and furthermore if properly run, the fisherfolk would be greatly benefitted. All catches landed in various centres of the controlled area were to be carried to the wholesale market for sale by a system of auction.
The market was instituted and managed by the following
personnel:
1 superintendent or manager.
1 treasurer with assistants.
1 accountant.
1 business manager with assistants.
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