WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1984
13
BIG MARKET-BUILDING PLAN UNDERWAY
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THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION IS EMBARKING ON AN AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME OF BUILDING NEW MARKETS.
THIS WAS DISCLOSED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR JOHN RIDDELL-SWAN WHILE OFFICIATING AT A PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONY OF THE F.M.O. IN THE ABERDEEN WHOLESALE FISH MARKET.
PLANS ARE WELL ADVANCED FOR A NEW MARKET IN KWUN TONG WHICH WILL PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED MARKETING FACILITIES FOR EAST KOWLOON BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR, HE SAID.
+THE OLD FISH MARKET AT TAI PO, WHICH HAS BEEN CUT OFF FROM THE SEA BY THE TAI PO RECLAMATION AND DEVELOPMENT, WILL BE REPROVISIONED ON A MUCH MORE SUITABLE SITE WITH BETTER SEA ACCESS AND IT IS HOPED THAT, TOO, WILL BE COMPLETED IN 1985, + DR RIDDELL- SWAN SAID.
FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF FISHERMEN, TWO NEW TEMPORARY MARKETS ARE BEING BUILT AT CHEUNG SHA WAN AND SHAU KEI WAN WHERE THE EXISTING MARKETS HAVE BEEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY RECLAMATION AND DEVELOPMENT. THESE WILL BE REPLACED WHEN PERMANENT MARKETS CAN BE BUILT ON BETTER SITES.
IN ADDITION, THE TEMPORARY MARKET AT CASTLE PEAK WILL BE REPLACED BY A NEW PERMANENT MARKET AND DESIGN WORK ON THIS WILL START THIS YEAR.
DR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID ALTHOUGH LAST YEAR WAS MARKED BY A SUCCESSION OF STORMS AND TYPHOONS, THE LOCAL FISHING FLEET CATCH INCREASED IN BOTH WEIGHT AND VALUE COMPARED WITH 1982.
THE NUMBER OF LOANS TO FISHERMEN FOR PRODUCTIVE PURPOSES IN THE YEAR INCREASED TO 129 WITH A TOTAL VALUE OF MORE THAN $11 MILLION,
DR RIDDELL-SWAN PRESENTED PRIZES AND CERTIFICATES TO NINE FISHERMEN WHO HAD SAVED A TOTAL OF 77 LIVES AT SEA,
HE ALSO PRESENTED CERTIFICATES TO GRADUATES OF THE FISHERMEN NAVIGATION TRAINING CLASS AND LONG SERVICE MEDALS TO FIVE MEMBERS OF THE F.M.0. WHO HAVE EACH COMPLETED 25 YEARS SERVICE.
MRS RIDDELL-SWAN PRESENTED PRIZES TO 28 CHAMPION FISHERMEN WHO HAD LANDED THE MOST FISH AT THE F.M.O. MARKETS LAST YEAR.