SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1983
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FIRST, IT CAN GROW TO ABOUT 815 GRAMMES IN SIX MONTHS, TWICE THE RATE OF THE LOCAL SPECIES.
+THIS MEANS THAT IT CAN ATTAIN A PREFERRED MARKET SIZE BY AUTUMN AND WINTER WHEN CONSUMER DEMAND IS HIGHEST, HE SAID.
THIS FASTER GROWTH RATE, MR SIN ADDED, SHOULD INCREASE THE YIELD OF FISH PONDS CONSIDERABLY. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG WHERE MORE AND MORE FISH PONDS ARE BEING LOST BECAUSE OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
SECOND, THE HYBRID IS SIMILAR TO THE LOCAL RACE IN SCALE COVER, BODY SHAPE AND COLOUR SO THAT IT SHOULD HAVE NO DIFFICULTY GAINING CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE, MR SIN SAID.
ANOTHER ADVANTAGE IS THAT THE HYBRIDS CAN BE MORE EASILY CAUGHT BY NET.
+IT IS DIFFICULT TO CATCH A LARGE NUMBER OF THE LOCAL RACE UNLESS THE PONDS ARE DRAINED A PRACTICE THAT IS RARELY RESORTED TO BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO CONSERVE WATER IN HONG KONG, MR SIN EXPLAINED.
HE SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD GIVEN ADVICE TO THE FISH FARMERS ON HOW TO REAR THE HYBRID FRY, AND WOULD VISIT THEM PERIODICALLY TO ASCERTAIN THEIR PROGRESS AND ADVISE ON THE IR REQUIREMENTS.
MR SIN WAS OPTIMISTIC THAT THE FARMERS' FIRST ATTEMPT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THE ADVICE GIVEN WAS BASED ON PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE GAINED BY THE DEPARTMENT OVER THE YEARS.
ALSO, SIMILAR ATTEMPTS TO CROSS THE MIRROR CARP WITH THE SCALY COMMON CARP FROM TAIWAN HAD BEEN TESTED IN ISRAEL WITH SATISFACTORY RESULTS, HE ADDED.
MR SIN EXPECTED THAT MORE FISH FARMERS WOULD CHOOSE TO REAR THE HYBRID.
BUT HE SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT MIGHT NOT BE PRODUCING SUFFICIENT FRY. FISH FARMERS WOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO LEARN THE TECHNIQUE AND PRODUCE THEIR OWN FRY.
WHEN THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT FIRST EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE +DOR-70+ MIRROW CARP IN 1977, 600 LIVE MIRROR CARP FRY WERE PRESENTED TO HONG KONG IN AUGUST OF THE SAME YEAR AS GIFTS BY THE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH ORGANISATION OF ISRAEL.
THE FRY WERE THEN ACCLIMATISED AND REARED IN HONG KONG. THEY TOOK ONE YEAR TO REACH SEXUAL MATURITY, AND HYBRIDS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED SINCE 1979 BY ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FERTILISATIONS.
MR SIN SAID THAT HYBRID FRY STOCKED IN SPRING WILL BE READY FOR THE MARKET BY AUTUMN AND WINTER. IN CAPTIVITY, THEY MATURE WITHIN ONE YEAR AND CAN REPRODUCE IF THE ENVIRONMENT IS FAVOURABLE.
HE ADDED THAT EXTREME CARE IS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN A PURE STOCK OF THE +DOR-70+ FOR SUCCESFUL PRODUCTION OF THE HYBRID.
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