WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1982
5
FEWER MEN AND VESSELS BRING IN BIGGER CATCHES OF FISH
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FEWER FISHERMEN WORKING FEWER VESSELS, BUT AIDED BY MORE
EFFICIENT METHODS AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY, HAVE BEEN GREATLY INCREASING HONG KONG'S CATCHES OF FISH.
LAST YEAR, 28 GOD FISHERMEN, MANNING SOME 4 760 VESSELS, BROUGHT IN 174 600 TONNES OF FISH, VALUED AT $1 233 MILLION, A RECORD IN VALUE TERMS.
CONTRASTED WITH THIS, FOR INSTANCE, WERE THE 54 000 TONNES CAUGHT BY SOME 69 000 FISHERMEN WORKING ON 8 600 VESSELS IN 1965.
MUCH OF THIS INCREASE IN PRODUCTIVITY WAS DUE TO THE VIGOROUS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AND TRAINING COURSES FOR FISHERMEN CONDUCTED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, BACKED BY SEVERAL FISHERIES LOAN FUNDS TO HELP THE FISHERMEN TO MODERNISE THEIR VESSELS AND INTRODUCE MORE EFFICIENT FISHING METHODS.
AS EXPLAINED BY MR T.Y, YIM, ACTING SENIOR FISHERIES OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT DIVISION: +MODERN DIESEL ENGINES NOW ENABLE THE VESSELS TO OPERATE ALMOST UNHAMPERED BY THE VAGARIES OF WEATHER, SHORT OF TYPHOON CONDITIONS. THEY ALLOW THE FISH TRAWLERS TO TOW HEAVY TRAWLS AND TO FISH IN FAIRLY DEEP WATERS.+
+IN CONTRAST, THE WIND-DRIVEN JUNK TRAWLERS OF THE PAST DEPENDED HEAVILY ON THE SOUTHWEST MONSOON IN THE SUMMER AND THE NORTHEAST MONSOON IN THE WINTER TO PROVIDE THE POWER FOR THEM TO FISH EFFECTIVELY,+
+THE RELIABILITY AND POWER OF MODERN ENGINES AND THE NAVIGATIONAL KNOWLEDGE FISHERMEN GAINED FROM THE TRAINING COURSES GAVE THEM THE CONFIDENCE AND ABILITY TO FISH MUCH FARTHER FROM THE HOME PORT. THE USE OF RADARS AND MORE RECENTLY RADIO TELEPHONES TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR HOME PORT FURTHER ENCOURAGES THEM TO FISH IN MORE DISTANT WATERS IN SEARCH FOR BETTER CATCHES,+ MR YIM EXPLAINED.
OTHER MECHANICAL DECK GEAR INTRODUCED IN RECENT YEARS, SUCH AS POWER-DRIVEN WINCHES AND FISHING LINE HAULERS, CUT MANUAL LABOUR AND ALLOWED MORE FISHING TIME EACH DAY.
MOST OF THE FISHING IS CARRIED OUT ON THE HIGH SEAS IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS, BUT SOME OF THE BEST FISHING GROUNDS ARE IN CHINESE TERRITORIAL WATERS OR CLOSE TO THEM. VESSELS OPERATING IN THESE AREAS MUST OBTAIN A LICENCE FROM THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES IN ADDITION TO THE ONE ISSUED IN HONG KONG, AND A CONDITION OF THE CHINESE LICENCE IS THAT A PERCENTAGE OF THE CATCH MUST BE DISCHARGED IN CHINESE PORTS, IT WAS EXPLAINED.
TRAWLING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THE FOUR MAJOR TYPES OF FISHING, THE OTHERS BEING LINING, GILL-NETTING AND PURSE-SEINING. LAST YEAR IT ACCOUNTED FOR 65 PER CENT OF MARINE FISH LANDED.
HONG KONG'S CONSUMPTION OF FISHERY PRODUCTS IS AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD, WITH PER HEAD CONSUMPTION IN 1981 ESTIMATED AT 18 KG OF MARINE FISH, 9 KG OF FRESHWATER FISH AND 10 KG OF ALL OTHER FISHERY PRODUCTS. AND ITS FISHING FLEET WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR 90 PER CENT OF ALL FRESH MARINE FISH CONSUMED BY THE PEOPLE HERE.
/THE IMPROVEMELINT