THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1983
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FISH FARMERS URGED TO USE FASTER GROWING FISH
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THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR JOHN RIDDELL- SWAN TODAY (THURSDAY) URGED POND FISH FARMERS TO USE FASTER GROWING SPECIES OF FISH TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF LAND.
NORMALLY HYBRID SPECIES OF FISH WOULD GROW FASTER THAN TRADITIONAL SPECIES.
LAST YEAR 59 FISH PONDS TOTALLING FOUR HECTARES OF LAND WERE LOST TO DEVELOPMENT AND 79 PONDS INVOLVING 13 HECTARES WERE RESUMED IN 1981.
SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE 14TH TERM OF THE HONG KONG NEW TERRITORIES FISH CULTURE ASSOCIATION, DR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID THE GREATEST CHALLENGE FACING THE FISH FARMING INDUSTRY WAS THE CONTINUING LOSS OF LAND.
+TO OFFSET THIS WE MUST INCREASE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF OUR EXISTING RESOURCES BY REDUCING LOSSES DUE TO FLOODING ASSOCIATED WITH HEAVY RAINFALL AND ADOPTING MORE INTENSIVE FORMS OF CULTURE.
+THE USE OF FASTER GROWING FISH SPECIES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AND GREATER ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO THE QUALITY OF FEED AND FEEDING PRACTICES. WATER QUALITY MUST BE IMPROVED AND BETTER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES PRACTISED.+
THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WAS DEVOTING CONSIDERABLE EFFORT TO THESE PROBLEMS BUT THE FINAL ONUS OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEVELOPMENT MUST REST WITH THE PRACTISING FARMERS, DR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID.
HE SAID LAST YEAR POND FISH FARMERS SUFFERED BADLY FROM THE WEATHER, ESPECIALLY FROM THE HEAVY RAINSTORMS IN MAY AND AUGUST.
+HOWEVER, AS USUAL, THEY WORKED HARD AND EVEN THE BADLY AFFECTED FISH FARMS WERE BROUGHT BACK QUICKLY INTO PRODUCTION.+
ANNUAL PRODUCTION IN 1982 WAS 7 780 TONNES VALUED AT $115 MILLION, COMPARED WITH THE 1981 PRODUCTION OF 6 780 TONNES, DR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID.
HE ALSO SAID MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION HAD GROWN FROM 30 WHEN IT WAS FIRST FORMED IN 1955 TO 430 TODAY,
+ THE ASSOCIATION'S GROWTH AND STRENGTH CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE USEFUL PART THE ASSOCIATION PLAYS WITHIN THE FISH FARMING COMMUNITY, + DR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID,
HE PRAISED MR CHAN PUI-HING, THE PRESENT CHAIRMAN, ON HIS ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF THE ASSOCIATION OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS HE HAD BEEN WITH IT.
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