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tomed to danger and hardship in the turbulent sea that other dangers and trials become commonplace.
The following data for 1938 are obtained through Harbour Depart- ment, Sanitary Department, and various guilds of the wholesale dealers and fishermen or approximately estimated by me.
Junk trawlers
I. FISHING JUNKS.
Long liners (large)
1,604
107
Larger seiners (pa_teng)
120
Small fishing junks
978
Total number of Hong Kong fishing junks
2,809
II.
PERSONS LIVING ON BOARD FISHING JUNKS.
Regular fishermen
Regular fisherwomen
Old men and women on board
Young children
27,613
23,052
2,246
12,600
11,940
77,451
IV. THE CAPITAL INVESTED,
Owing to several facts such as that the junks are not all manufactured in Hong Kong and that the price of the junks and the gear varies from year to year it is difficult or impossible to obtain an accurate estimate of the capital spent on the junks and gear. The following table, however, shows only the approximate value of each class of the vessels with a complete set of gear and equipment. It may, however, serve to indicate to what extent fisheries have actually constituted one of the most important industries in the Colony:
The Capital invested in the junks and gear.
Trawlers
Long liners
Large seiners
Small fishing junks
Total
$12,832,000
989,000
720,000
489,000
$15,030,000
NADAT PANDA DAPAT
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Boys and girls on board
Total number of persons on board
For reference the following table showing other persons in connection with fisheries may be included here.
Fish driers and collectors
Fish dealers and hawkers
Manufacturers of junks, nets, etc.
Other persons employed irregularly
Total
3,120
2,140
1,500
2,000
8,760
III. APPROXIMATE AMOUNT AND VALUE OF THE FISH LANDED.
Fresh sea fish Salted sea fish
Total
Quantity 210,000 piculs 270,000 piculs
Value $3,186,000 H.K.* $4,400,000 H.K.
480,000 piculs
$7,586,000 H.K.
• The total value mentioned here is based on a report from the local Fresh Fish Guild in Kennedy Town and the quantity is estimated at $15 per picul, but according to information from the Urban Council Office the total quantity is 9,200 tons (150,000 piculs) and the price will be about $20 per picul if we suppose that the estimated value $3,186,000 obtained through the Fresh Fish Guild is correct.
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There is no definite correlation between the number of fishermen and the total amount of catch landed per annum, but it would be logical to infer that the total quantity of the fish landed would bear an direct relation to the total value of capital invested in the manufacturing of boats and gear.
This is especially true when power-driven vessels have been
cmployed,
V. IMPORT AND EXPORT OF FISHERY PRODUCTS.
As mentioned previously all the fresh freshwater fish are imported from Canton, Shekki, and other ports mentioned above. There are 11 lans or agents for the importation of fresh-water fish from the main land into the Colony. It is computed that the total amount of the fish imported is approximately 400 piculs per day, making a total of aobut 140,600 piculs (8,350 tons) valued at about $2,500,000 this year.
Only a small fraction of the fresh seafish is exported to Canton and neighbouring districts (usually about 80 piculs per day). This year owing to the Japanese invasion of South China and to the enormous demand for food-stuffs in Hong Kong the export of fresh seafish has been reduced to a minimum. Of all the salted seafish locally produced, at most, 30% is consumed locally, and a small portion of this 30% is exported principally to the East Indies and California. The remaining 70% was sent into the interior of China through Canton, Macao, Shekki, Kongmoon, Wuchow, and occa- sionally through Shanghai. The total amount of foreign produced salted fish imported into this Colony and then exported again to the main land of China is valued approximately at $4,000,000.
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