TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1994
STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE AND LABOUR RELATIONS PROMOTION UNIT ARE ALSO ACTIVELY ADVISING EMPLOYERS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SUCH AGREEMENT THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS, SUCH AS SEMINARS, TRAINING COURSES AS WELL AS DURING CONCILIATION MEETINGS.
EMPLOYERS OR EMPLOYEES WHO REQUIRE HELP CAN APPROACH THE NEAREST LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE BRANCH OFFICE.
0
AFD TO LAUNCH FISHERIES PROJECT WITH JOCKEY CLUB DONATION
A $1.6 MILLION DONATION FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB WILL SOON BE USED TO LAUNCH A PILOT AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT (AFD) PROJECT AIMED AT IMPROVING THE TERRITORY'S MARINE ENVIRONMENT.
THE PROGRAMME, KNOWN AS FISHERIES HABITAT ENHANCEMENT PROJECT (FISHAB), WILL USE ARTIFICIAL REEFS TO INCREASE PRODUCTION OF NATURAL MARINE LIFE IN HONG KONG WATERS FOR THE BENEFIT OF LOCAL FISHERMEN.
THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE, SAID THE DEPARTMENT WAS EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO THE JOCKEY CLUB FOR THE GRANT OF $1.6 MILLION.
DR LEE SAID: "THE DONATION WILL BE USED TO SET UP AND EQUIP A FIELD LABORATORY ON KAT O CHAU, AND TO PURCHASE A DIVE BOAT, SCUBA DIVING GEAR, AND UNDERWATER AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT SUITABLE FOR MONITORING FISH POPULATIONS."
HE
STRESSED THAT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE USE OF THE FUND SO AS TO ACHIEVE THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE PROGRAMME.
INTRODUCING THE PROJECT, AFD'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (FISHERIES) RICHARD YIP, STATED THAT HONG KONG WAS ONE OF A NUMBER OF CENTRES CURRENTLY DEVELOPING A GROWING INTEREST IN THIS FIELD.
MR
MR YIP SAID ARTIFICIAL REEFS WERE NOW USED WORLDWIDE AS A MEANS
OF REHABILITATING DAMAGED MARINE ECOSYSTEMS.
"AFD HAS RECENTLY UNDERTAKEN A REVIEW OF MARINE HABITAT ENHANCEMENT TECHNOLOGY BEING USED OVERSEAS AND ITS FISHERIES OFFICERS HAVE MADE STUDY VISITS TO ARTIFICIAL REEFS PROJECTS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, HE SAID.
THERE IS
TT
AN URGENT NEED FOR LARGE-SCALE EFFORTS TO HALT THE DECLINE IN MARINE BIODIVERSITY AND PRODUCTION IN LOCAL WATERS, MR YIP SAID, ADDING THAT THE TERRITORY'S FISHING INDUSTRY WOULD STAND ΤΟ BENEFIT.
HELP
ON THE TERRITORY'S FIRST ARTIFICIAL REEFS PROJECT IN HOI HA HE POINTED OUT THAT THE FINDINGS OF ONGOING RESEARCH WOULD DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF FUTURE FISHAB WORK.
WAN,
/THE RESEARCH