XN000022-1983-11-13 — Page 10

PHOTOGRAPHIC

APPARATUS EQUIPMENT,

SUPPLIES

9

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1983

AND

OPTICAL

GOODS

WATCHES

AND

CLOCKS

2 935

2 269

666

+29

MISCELLANEOUS

MANUFACTURED

ARTICLES

2 133

1 700

434

+26

NON-METALL IC

MINERAL

MANUFACTURES

1 826

1 886

60

3

NEW FISH HYBRID HOLDING GOOD PROMISE

***

A FAST-GROWING COMMON CARPA HYBRID BETWEEN THE LOCAL AND

IS BEING REARED COMMERCIALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME

AN ISRAELI RACE

IN HONG KONG.

NINE FISH FARMS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH 35 500 FRY OF THIS HYBRID BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT. THE DEPARTMENT HAS PRODUCED THEM THROUGH ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION BY CROSSING THE LOCAL SCALY COMMON CARP FEMALE WITH THE ISRAEL MIRROR CARP +DOR-70+ MALE.

+THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN CONDUCTING SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS WITH THE HYBRIDISATION OF THE TWO RACES SINCE 1978 IN AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE THE STOCK OF THE LOCAL COMMON CARP AND TO HELP LOCAL FISH FARMS INCREASE THE IR PRODUCTIVITY, SAID MR ALFRED SIN, FISH CULTURE RESEARCH OFFICER I OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FISHERIES RESEARCH DIVISION.

THE HYBRID FRY WERE SUPPLIED TO THE FISH FARMERS FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION FOLLOWING THEIR REQUESTS EARLIER THIS YEAR, HE ADDED.

THE COMMON CARP, OR CYPRINUS CARPIO, IS A POND FISH CONSUMED IN HONG KONG MAINLY IN AUTUMN AND WINTER. IT CONTRIBUTES ABOUT 16 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL POND FISH PRODUCTION IN HONG KONG.

MR SIN POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT BECAUSE OF THE SLOW GROWTH OF THE LOCAL RACE, IT WAS OFTEN NOT POSSIBLE TO MEET CONSUMERS' DEMAND.

THE HYBRID, MR SIN SAID, EXHIBITS MANY DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS FOR COMMERCIAL BREEDING IN HONG KONG.

/FIRST, IT

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