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MONDAY, APRIL 14, 1980
DURING HIS 24-HOUR STOPOVER IN HONG KONG, THE DUKE WILL STAY AT FANLING LODGE.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
A PHOTOGRAPHIC FACILITY WILL BE ARRANGED AT KAI TAK TO ENABLE PRESS REPRESENTATIVES TO COVER THE DUKE'S ARRIVAL.
FISH LANDING NOT SERIOUSLY AFFECTED BY OIL PRICES
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A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (MONDAY) HIGH OIL COSTS HAD NOT SERIOUSLY AFFECTED THE AMOUNT OF FISH LANDED AT FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION MARKETS.
HE SAID ALTHOUGH ABOUT FOUR PER CENT OF THE FISHING FLEET HAD NOT YET RETURNED TO FISHING SINCE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS, THE TOTAL CATCH LANDED AT FISH MARKETS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1980 HAD ONLY DROPPED BY ABOUT EIGHT PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. HOWEVER, THE VALUE OF THE LANDINGS HAD INCREASED BY OVER 20 PER CENT.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT HIGHER OPERATING COSTS HAD FORCED FISHERMEN TO MAKE THE MOST ECONOMICAL USE OF FUEL AND TO BE MORE SELECTIVE IN CHOOSING FISHING GROUNDS AND THE TIMING AND METHODS OF THEIR OPERATIONS.
THE DEPARTMENT WAS HELPING FISHERMEN BY STUDYING FUEL SAVING TECHNIQUES AND BY TESTING FUEL ADDITIVES AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET. LOANS WERE ALSO AVAILABLE TO HELP FISHERMEN IN THE PURCHASE OF FUEL AND TO ASSIST THEM TO PURCHASE MODERN NAVIGATIONAL AND ACOUSTIC EQUIPMENT SO THAT THEY CAN INCREASE THEIR PRODUCTIVITY.
THE SPOKESMAN AGREED THAT A LIMITED AMOUNT OF CHEAPER FUEL WAS AVAILABLE IN CHINA FOR VESSELS WITH DUAL REGISTRATION, BUT HE POINTED OUT THAT THE FISH SOLD IN CHINA TO PAY FOR THE FUEL FETCHED A MUCH LOWER PRICE THERE THAN SALES OF SIMILAR FISH IN HONG KONG.
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