FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1980
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MEASURES FOR FISHERMEN TO SAVE FUEL
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TO OFFSET INCREASED FUEL EXPENDITURE, FISHERMEN MUST ADOPT ALL MEASURES POSSIBLE TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY, THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, MR JOHN RIDDELL-SWAN, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
AT THE FISHERMEN'S ANNUAL LUNAR NEW YEAR CEREMONY AT THE ABERDEEN FISH MARKET, MR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID THAT AS FUEL COSTS REPRESENT A VERY LARGE PROPORTION OF THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE OF FISHING, INCREASES IN OIL PRICES HAVE VERY SERIOUS EFFECTS.
+WE MUST ACCEPT THAT THE DAYS OF CHEAP FUEL ARE NOW OVER AND IN FACT BE PREPARED FOR FUEL PRICES TO CONTINUE TO RISE,+ HE SAID.
TO MEET THIS CHALLENGE, MR RIDDELL-SWAN ADVISED FISHERMEN TO ADOPT MORE MODERN TECHNIQUES WITH THE MOST UP-TO-DATE GEAR SUCH AS POWER WINCHES AND LINE HAULERS AND WITH MODERN LARGE MESH AND HIGH-OPENING TRAWL NETS.
+NAVIGATION MUST BE MORE PRECISE AND TO OBTAIN GREATER FUEL ECONOMY, PARTICULAR ATTENTION MUST BE PAID TO REDUCING DRAG BY REMOVING FOULING ORGANISMS, EVEN IF THIS MEANS SLIPPING VESSELS MORE FREQUENTLY, HE SAID.
BUT KNOWING THE FISHERMEN'S CAPACITY FOR HARD WORK, THEIR HIGH TECHNICAL SKILLS AND THE IR WILLINGNESS TO ADAPT, MR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID HE WAS SURE THE FISHERMEN WOULD MEET AND SUCCESSFULLY OVERCOME THE PROBLEM.
+TO ASSIST IN THIS, I CAN ASSURE ALL FISHERMEN THAT AND MY COLLEAGUES WILL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE TO HELP THEM IN ANY WAY WHATSO- EVER, INCLUDING HELPING THEM TO OBTAIN CREDIT FROM THE LOAN FUNDS ADMINISTERED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT.
+1 AM SURE THAT YOU WILL BE DELIGHTED TO HEAR THAT I AM LOOKING INTO WAYS AND MEANS OF SIMPLIFYING LOAN PROCEDURES AND SPEEDING UP THE IR ISSUE, HE SAID.
ALTHOUGH FISH LANDINGS INCREASED LAST YEAR (MARINE FISH UP TO 13 PER CENT, CRUSTACEANS UP 48 PER CENT, AND MOLLUSCA UP 25 PER CENT), AND PRICES WERE ALSO GENERALLY HIGHER, PROFITABILITY WAS SEVERÉLY REDUCED, WHICH ACCORDING TO MR RIDDELL-SWAN WAS DUE TO VERY CONSIDERABLE INCREASES IN THE PRICE OF FUEL OIL.
DURING THE CEREMONY MR RIDDELL-SWAN PRESENTED AWARDS TO 24 CHAMPION FISHERMEN FOR THEIR FISHING ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE YEAR. ANOTHER 10 FISHERMEN ALSO RECEIVED AWARDS FOR SAVING LIVES AT SEA WHICH INCLUDED TWO RESCUES OF HELICOPTER ACCIDENTS IN MIRS BAY AND TOLO CHANNEL.
A GROUP OF TEN YOUNG FISHERMEN HAD ALSO COMPLETED A SIX-MONTH COURSE IN NAVIGATION AND MR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID IT WAS PARTICULARLY SATISFYING TO SEE THAT AMONGST THE TEN WAS A YOUNG LADY, MISS FUNG YUK-YIN,
+MISS FUNG IS THE SECOND LADY TO GRADUATE SINCE THE COURSE WAS STARTED IN 1960 AND I HOPE THAT OTHER FISHER GIRLS WILL FOLLOW MISS FUNG'S EXAMPLE AND ENROLL IN FISHERIES COURSES, HE SAID.
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