XN000022-1978-05-08 — Page 4

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MONDAY, MAY 8, 1978

HONG KONG FISHING INDUSTRY ADOPTS MODERN METHODS

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HONG KONG'S FISHING INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED ITS TECHNIQUES TO MORE MODERN METHODS RESULTING IN INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY DESPITE DECREASES IN LABOUR AND SIZE OF THE FLEET.

THIS WAS STATED THIS EVENING BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT'S CAPTURE FISH DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, MR. T.Y. YIM AT A DINNER KEETING OF THE Y'S MEN'S CLUB OF VICTORIA AT THE MANDARIN HOTEL.

MR. YIM ESTIMATED THAT DURING THE PAST 10 YEARS FISH LANDINGS HAD INCREASED EY 50 PER CENT. LAST YEAR, HONG KONG'S FISH AND FISHERY PRODUCTS WERE VALUED AT $730 MILLION, OF WHICH ABOUT 58 PER CENT WAS FRESH MARINE FISH LANDED BY THE HONG KONG FLEET. THE BALANCE CAME FROM CULTURE FISH FARMS ON LAND AND IN THE SEA.

LARGE SCALE FISHING, HE SAID, HAD THE ELEMENTS OF RUNNING A FULLY COMMERCIAL BUSINESS.

+ INVESTMENT IN FISHING OF THIS SCALE IS FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL AND AS AN EXAMPLE, IN A RECENT PROJECT, INVOLVING THE BUILDING OF TWO 26-METRE TRAWLERS WHICH WERE FINANCED BY GOVERNMENT LOANS, COST $1.8 MILLION. WITH THIS LEVEL OF INVESTMENT AND. HIGH OPERATING COSTS, FISHING NOWADAYS, IS A DEMANDING JOE.

+F ISHERMEN TODAY ARE LESS ABLE TO AFFORD UNSATISFACTORY FISHING RESULTS AND THEY NOW ADOPT A MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

J

+THE FLEET IS NOW FAIRLY MOBILE IN THE SENSE THAT WHEN FISHING IS UNSATISFACTORY, THEY WOULD BE QUICK TO CHANGE GROUNDS, WHICH MAY EE FAR APART. THIS SOMETIMES TAKES THEM BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL FISHING AREAS. IN ORDER TO MINIMISE THE LOSS OF FISHING DAYS, THEY ..OULD CONTINUE FISHING AS FAR AS POSSIBLE IN ADVERSE WEATHER ALD ..HEN ALERTED OF POSSIBLE TROPICAL CYCLONES. WOULD STAY ON IN THE FISHING AREAS TILL THE THREAT IS DEFINITE,+ SAID MR. YIN.

ALL THESE INFLUENCED THEIR PREFERENCE FOR LARGE VESSELS AND POWERFUL ENGINES FOR SEA KEEPING AND SPEED. IN THE CASE OF TRAWLERS, ENGINE POWER WAS IMPORTANT FOR ANOTHER REASON TO ENABLE THE VESSEL TO FISH IN DEEPER WATERS, WITH HEAVIER GEAR, AND IN MORE SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

+COMPASS AND DEPTH SOUNDER ARE STANDARD ITEMS AMONG THE LARGER

VESSELS.

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+ THE FACE OF DEMAND FOR EFFICIENT FISHING OPERATIONS FISHERMEN, ON THE WHOLE, ARE MORE RECEPTIVE TO IDEAS FOR MODÉRI. FISHING AND NAVIGATIONAL AIDS. A FEW VESSELS HAVE INSTALLED LORAN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE TO FIX VESSEL POSITION AT SEA. SEVERAL HAVE INSTALLED RADAR TO HELP NAVIGATION. AND, QUITE A NUMBER OF PURSE SEINERS, SMALL VESSELS WORKING IN INSHORE WATERS, HAVE ONBOARD ELECTRONIC FISHING FINDING EQUIPMENT TO HELP LOCATING FISH. FISHER- MEN ARE ALSO MORE RECEPTIVE TO IDEAS FOR LABOUR-SAVING DEVICES,+ SAID MR. YIM.

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