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WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1984
CHECK KEPT TO ENSURE FISHERIES SUPPLY
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GOVERNMENT POLICY REQUIRED THE MAINTENANCE OF A RELIABLE SUPPLY TO THE COMMUNITY OF FRESH FISHERIES PRODUCTS, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, SAID TODAY.
THIS WAS PART OF AN OVERALL POLICY ON THE SUPPLY OF FOOD, HE SAID.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ALEX WU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, ON THE POLICY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S FISHERIES INDUSTRY AND OF MAR I CULTURE, MR JACOBS SAID THE GOVERNMENT ASSISTED THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE FISHERIES INDUSTRY IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
IT PROVIDES AN ADVISORY SERVICE FOR FISHERMEN, GIVING GUIDANCE ON THE BUILDING OF NEW VESSELS, THE PURCHASE OF GEAR AND EQUIPMENT, THE USE OF MODERN NAVIGATIONAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, AND THE APPLICATION OF IMPROVED FISHING METHODS.
+ALSO, THE FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUND, ADMINISTERED BY THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES SPECIFICALLY FOR DEVELOPING THE FISHING FLEET, AND THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION LOAN FUND, ARE IMPORTANT SOURCES OF LOAN FINANCE FOR FISHERMEN,+ HE SAID.
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IN THE CONTEXT OF OVERALL POLICY, THE GOVERNMENT IMPOSED SOME CONTROL OVER THE DEVELOPMENT OF MARICULTURE WITH A VIEW TO INCREASING EFFICIENCY, BUT THE MARICULTURE INDUSTRY WAS SUBJECT TO CONSTRAINTS IMPOSED BY THE LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF SUITABLE AREAS OF COASTAL WATER.
THE MARINE FISH CULTURE ORDINANCE ENACTED IN 1980 WAS THEREFORE DESIGNED BOTH TO PREVENT THE UNDESIRABLE PROLIFERATION OF MARICULTURE OPERATIONS IN COASTAL WATERS AND TO PROVIDE THE CONTROL NECESSARY FOR THE INDUSTRY TO INCREASE ITS EFFICIENCY.
SO FAR 26 MARICULTURE ZONES HAVE BEEN GAZETTED.
ALTHOUGH FISH PRODUCED BY MARICULTURE REPRESENTED A SMALL PROPORTION OF TOTAL FISHERIES PRODUCTION, THE INDUSTRY'S CHIEF VALUE WAS ITS CONTRIBUTION TO MEETING THE DEMAND FOR LIVE FISH, WHICH THE CAPTURE FISH INDUSTRY COULD NOT MEET IN FULL. HE SAID.
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