WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1982
THE IMPROVEMENT IN FISHING SKILLS HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED HOWEVER, BY A DECLINE IN INTEREST AMONG THE YOUNGER GENERATION IN FISHING FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD.
THE YOUNGER FISHERFOLK FROM AMONG THE TANGKA AND HOKLO COMMUNITIES HAVE TENDED TO GIVE UP THE SEA FOR JOBS ON SHORE, ACCEPTING LOWER WAGES FOR SHORTER AND MORE REGULAR WORKING HOURS.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FISHING FLEET HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED THROUGH LOANS FROM THE VARIOUS FISHERMEN'S COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES AND LOANS FROM THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION AND THE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTERED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT.
LAST YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT GRANTED 143 LOANS AMOUNTING TO $11 MILLION. TWO OF THE LONG-TERM LOANS TOTALLING $3.06 MILLION WERE ISSUED FROM THE FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUND, WHICH AIMS AT FINANCING PIONEERING AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, INCLUDING BUILDING FISHING VESSELS OF NEW DESIGN, EMPLOYING NEW TECHNOLOGY AND FISHING METHODS, AND BUYING MODERN NAVIGATIONAL AIDS. AS A RESULT OF THESE TWO LOANS, A PAIR OF 27-METRE MODERN FISH TRAWLERS WERE BUILT AND STARTED FISHING IN EARLY 1982.
THE SHORT TO MEDIUM-TERM LOANS CAME MAINLY FROM THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION LOAN FUND, ESTABLISHED IN 1946 FOR MAKING LOANS TO FISHERMEN FOR PRODUCTIVE PURPOSES. SUCH AS REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR OF FISHING VESSELS AND PURCHASE OF FISHING GEAR, ENGINES AND OTHER EQUIPMENT.
DESPITE THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FISHING FLEET AND THE INCREASE IN FISHING EFFICIENCY, IT IS NOT EXPECTED THAT THE FLEET CAN BRING BACK FROM THE PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS ENOUGH FISH TO MEET HONG KONG'S DEMAND FOR MARINE FISH. THESE FISHING GROUNDS ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF BEING OVER-FISHED.
IN AN ATTEMPT TO MEET THIS LIKELY SHORTFALL, THE DEPARTMENT HAS DIRECTED MUCH EFFORT TO A RESEARCH PROGRAMME TO EXPLORE NEW STOCKS OF FISH. AT THE SAME TIME, IT IS STRIVING CONSTANTLY TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY AND CAPABILITY OF THE FISHING FLEET.
TOWARDS THIS END, IT PROVIDES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, MANY TRAINING COURSES FREE OF CHARGE TO FISHERMEN ON SUCH SUBJECTS AS NAVIGATION, USE OF RADAR, ECHO-SOUNDER, RADIO-TELEPHONE, RADIO DIRECTION FINDER, AND EVEN BASIC BUSINESS MANAGEMENT.
THERE HAS ALSO, IN THE LAST DECADE, BEEN CONSIDERABLE DEVELOPMENT OF MARINE FISH CULTURE, A PROCESS IN WHICH LIVE MARINE FISH ARE RAISED IN CAGES SUSPENDED FROM RAFTS IN SHELTERED BAYS.
LAST YEAR, LIVE MARINE FISH SUPPLIED BY THIS ACTIVITY IN 60 LOCATIONS AMOUNTED TO 960 TONNES, VALUED AT $53 MILLION.
APART FROM THAT, IN 1981 SOME 1 820 HECTARES OF FISH PONDS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES YIELDED 6 780 TONNES OF FRESHWATER FISH, VALUED AT $97 MILLION, OR 16 PER CENT OF LOCAL CONSUMPTION OF FRESHWATER FISH. HOWEVER, THESE LOCAL PONDS YIELDED ONLY ABOUT FOUR PER CENT BY WEIGHT OF THE TOTAL LOCAL FISH PRODUCTION.