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THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1976 ·
GOVT TO EXPLORE MARINE RESOURCES IN SOUTH CHINA SEA
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ANOTHER SERIES OF FISHERY SURVEYS WILL BE CARRIED OUT LATER THIS YEAR BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT TO EXPLORE MARINE RESOURCES IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.
THIS DECISION WAS TAKEN FOLLOWING STUDIES WHICH SHOWED THAT HONG KONG WILL FACE A SHORTAGE OF SEA FISH IN 1981.
MR. ROY CHILVERS, SENIOR FISHERIES OFFICER (DEVELOPMENT) OF THE DEPARTMENT, POINTED OUT THAT THE AIM OF THESE SURVEYS WAS TO ESTABLISH THE TEMPORAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF UNEXPLOITED MIDWATER FISH STOCKS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA TO HELP DETERMINE WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FISH FOR HONG KONG,
DEPENDENT UPON WHICH SPECIES WERE FOUND TO BE THE MOST ABUNDANT, THE SURVEYS WOULD ALSO HELP GOVERNMENT TO PLAN THE INTRODUCTION OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISHING GEAR FOR THE IR CAPTURE, AND THE BEST METHODS OF UTILISING THEM.
MR. CHILVERS STRESSED THAT THE FISHING GROUNDS FREQUENTED AT PRESENT WERE IN DANGER OF BEING OVER-EXPLOITED.
+THE PROBLEM AT THE MOMENT IS THAT THE POPULAR BOTTOM LIVING FISHES ON THE TRADITIONAL GROUNDS ARE APPARENTLY BECOMING LESS ABUNDANT AND THE FLEET IS HAVING TO MOVE FURTHER AFIELD TO MAINTAIN SUPPLIES OF THESE SPECIES,+ HE SAID.
+THIS, OBVIOUSLY, CANNOT GO ON INDEFINITELY. CLOSER TO HONG KONG, THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF OTHER TYPES OF FISH WHICH, HOWEVER, ARE NOT POPULAR WITH EITHER THE CONSUMER OR THE FISHERMEN.+
HE SAID THAT ONE GOOD EXAMPLE WAS THE FILE FISH WHICH COULD BE FOUND IN LARGE SHOALS OVER THE CONTINENTAL SHELF OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.
MR. CHILVERS RECALLED THAT DURING A DEMERSAL SURVEY CRUISE IN THE MIDDLE OF 1972 THE CATCH RATE TO THE WEST FOR THIS ONE SPECIES AVERAGED ONE HALF OF A TON PER HOUR.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, A TRIAL MIDWATER SURVEY DEMONSTRATED THE PRESENCE OF VERY LARGE SHOALS OF THE SAME FISH TO THE EAST OF HONG KONG WHERE IT HAD ALSO BEEN CAUGHT ON THE BOTTOM IN 1972.
FOR THE COMING STUDY, THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT PURCHASED A POWERFUL SONAR WHICH HAS BEEN INSTALLED ON BOARD ITS RESEARCH VESSEL +CAPE ST. MARY+ TO LOCATE SHOALS OF FISH.
IN ADDITION, AN EXPENSIVE ECHO SOUNDER AND OTHER SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT WILL BE FITTED IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS' TIME.
THIS, HE ADDED, WAS ON LOAN TO THE DEPARTMENT FROM THE SOUTH CHINA SEA FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT AND CO-ORDINATING PROGRAMME BASED IN THE PHILIPPINES AND SPONSORED BY THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANISATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS.
THE EQUIPMENT