XN000022-1979-01-27 — Page 2

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 1979

RECORD FISH SALES

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ALMOST 90,000 TONNES OF FISH VALUED AT $350 MILLION WERE SOLD THROUGH THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION LAST YEAR.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (FISHERIES AND MARKETING) OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, MR. ALEX MURRAY SAID, THIS WAS +A REMARKABLE RECORD IN THE HISTORY OF THE F.M.O.+

ALTHOUGH THE WEIGHT WAS AN INCREASE OF ONLY ONE PER CENT OVER 1977, THE INCREASE IN VALUE WAS UP MORE THAN 12 PER CENT.

MR. MURRAY MADE THE OBSERVATIONS AT THE F.M.O.'S ANNUAL PRIZE GIVING CEREMONY AT THE ABERDEEN WHOLESALE FISH HARKET TODAY (SATURDAY).

HE SAID THE PRODUCTION OF LIVE MARINE FISH IN 1978 WAS 650 TONNES, AN INCREASE OF 16 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

+ IN AN ATTEMPT TO HELP THE INDUSTRY TO DEVELOP IN AN ORDERLY MANNER, GOVERNMENT IS ACTIVELY CONSIDERING LEGISLATION TO PROTECT AND CONTROL ITS DEVELOPMENT, SAID MR. MURRAY.

DURING THE CEREMONY, MRS. J.M. RIDDELL-SWAN, WIFE OF THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, PRESENTED AWARDS TO 24 CHAMPION FISHERMEN AND TO EIGHT OTHER FISHERMEN WHO SAVED 369 LIVES AT SEA.

ONE FISHERMAN, LAW SHU-KAN OF SHAU KEI WAN HAD RESCUED 303 PEOPLE FROM A SINKING BOAT NEAR TAI CHAU, HAINAN ISLAND, ON AUGUST 26. ANOTHER, LAI SHING-TAK OF TSUEN WAN, RESCUED FOUR PEOPLE FROM A SINKING PLEASURE BOAT OFF TSING LUNG TAU.

MR. MURRAY SAID THAT LAST YEAR, 157 LOANS AMOUNTING TO ABOUT $7.4 MILLION WERE MADE TO FISHERMEN.

+TO ENABLE YOU TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY AND THE BEST YIELDS I MUST POINT OUT THAT IN YOUR OWN INTEREST AND FOR THE SAKE OF SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY, YOU SHOULD CONFORM IN THE BUILDING AND FITTING OF YOUR FISHING VESSELS TO THE TECHNICAL ADVICE PROVIDED BY THE STAFF OF THIS DEPARTMENT. BE RECEPTIVE TO CHANGE WHERE IT IMPROVES YOUR OPERATION AND PROVIDES YOU WITH A BETTER INCOME, HE SAID.

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