SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1989
FISHERMEN'S CO-OPERATION CALLED FOR TO STOP ILLEGAL SALES
THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE,
TODAY (SATURDAY) CALLED ON HONG KONG'S FISHERMEN TO CO-OPERATE FULLY WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION (FMO) IN THEIR EFFORTS TO DETER ILLEGAL FISH MARKETING ACTIVITIES,
THEY CAN DO SO BY ABIDING BY THE MARINE FISH (MARKETING) ORDINANCE AND SELLING ALL THEIR CATCHES THROUGH THE FMO FISH MARKETS.
"ILLEGAL FISH MARKETING ACTIVITIES CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE OF OUR CONCERN, DR LEE SAID.
"THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT AND THE FMO WILL CONTINUE ENFORCEMENT ACTION IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE POLICE.
"ALSO, THE MARINE FISH (MARKETING! ORDINANCE WAS AMENDED IN JANUARY LAST YEAR TO AID ENFORCEMENT
BY CLOSING LOOPHOLES AND INCREASING FINES.
THE AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE HAVE INCREASED THE MAXIMUM FINES TENFOLD FROM THE PREVIOUS LEVEL OF 31,000 TO $10,000 FOR SUCH ILLEGAL MARKETING ACTIVITIES AND HAVE PRESCRIBED MORE STRINGENT CONTROL OVER THE LANDING AND TRANSPORTATION OF MARINE FISH.
TO IMPROVE ORDER AT THE MARKET FLOOR, DR LEE SAID, THE SORTING FLOOR AT THE CHEUNG SHA WAN FISH MARKET WAS CLOSED TO ALL BUYERS AS FROM JULY LAST YEAR.
THIS SCHEME PROVED TO BE EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING AND WAS WELCOMED BY FISHERMEN AND BUYERS.
MALPRACTICES
TO
"A SIMILAR SCHEME FOR THE ABERDEEN FISH MARKET IS SCHEDULED BE IMPLEMENTED LATER THIS MONTH WHEN THE MARKET RE-OPENS AFTER THE HOLIDAYS," HE ADDED.
SPEAKING AT THE FMO ANNUAL PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONY HELD AT THE ABERDEEN WHOLESALE FISH MARKET, DR LEE SAID THE FMO HAD CONTINUED TO STREAMLINE THE OPERATION OF INDIVIDUAL MARKETS, TO STRENGTHEN MANAGEMENT AND TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY.
APART FROM SUITABLY ADJUSTING THE SERVICES AT INDIVIDUAL MARKETS TO CATER FOR THE NEED OF THE USERS, THE ORGANISATION IN THE PAST YEAR DEVOTED MUCH OF ITS EFFORTS TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND REPROVISIONING OF THE MARKETS.
HE SAID CONSTRUCTION WORK ON THE NEW MARKET AT KWUN TONG WAS COMPLETED AND IT WAS OPENED FOR BUSINESS IN AUGUST LAST YEAR TO SERVE THE FISHERMEN AND THE POPULATION OF EAST KOWLOON.
/REVIEWING THE