XN000022-1986-08-07 — Page 12

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THURSDAY, „UGUST 7, 1986

OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA INCLUDE ALLOCATION OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND THE CIVIC EDUCATION FESTIVAL, AND INFORMATION PAPERS ON THE STUDY TOUR TO JAPAN AND THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE DISTRICT BOARD.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

YOU ARE INVITED TO COVER THE YAU MA TEI DISTRICT BOARD MEETING AT 2.30 PM TOMORROW IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM OF YAU MA TEI DISTRICT OFFICE, SECOND FLOOR, 490 NATHAN ROAD.

O

SEMINARS ON FAN MUSSEL CULTURE ORGANISED

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THREE HALF-DAY SEMINARS HAVE BEEN ORGANISED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT THIS MONTH TO INTRODUCE TO MARICULTURISTS TWO NEW METHODS FOR FAN MUSSEL CULTURE RECENTLY DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

THE SEMINARS WILL BE HELD ON AUGUST 15 AT THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION SHA TAU KOK PRIMARY SCHOOL, ON AUGUST 18 AT THE DEPARTMENT'S TAI PO KAU FISHERIES OFFICE, AND ON AUGUST 20 AT THE SAI KUNG DISTRICT BOARD CONFERENCE ROOM. THE STARTING TIME IS 2.30 PM.

THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN EACH SEMINAR IS LIMITED TO 30. INTERESTED MARICULTURISTS SHOULD TELEPHONE 5-520171 EXT. 22 FOR REGISTRATION ON A FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVED BASIS.

A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THE SEMINARS WOULD HELP TO DIVERSIFY MARICULTURE AND ALSO TO BOOST PRODUCTIVITY.

+ IN VIEW OF THE HIGH NATURAL MORTALITY OF FAN MUSSELS CULTURED LOCALLY BY THE TRADITIONAL METHOD, THE DEPARTMENT HAS SUCCESSFULLY DEVELOPED THE RAFT AND BOTTOM CAGE CULTURE METHODS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE FORMER INVOLVES CULTURING FAN MUSSELS IN SMALL SAND-FILLED POCKETS ARRANGED IN A RACK HANGING VERTICALLY FROM A RAFT WHILE FOR THE LATTER A NET CAGE IS SECURED ON THE SEABED.

+ THE NEW CULTURE METHODS HAVE REDUCED CONSIDERABLY THE MORTALITY OF FAN MUSSELS, THEREBY INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY BY NINE TO TEN TIMES,+ HE SAID.

THE SEMINARS FORM PART OF A SERIES OF FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AIMED AT INCREASING THE PRODUCTIVITY OF MARICULTURE.

ASPECTS OF MARICULTURE ARE INCLUDED IN THE REGULAR TALKS IN THE FISHERMEN'S HALF-HOUR+, A WEEKLY RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG RADIO PROGRAMME.