XN000022-1991-08-29 — Page 13

12

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1991

THE SIGHTINGS OF THESE

SPEEDBOATS, WHICH COULD HIT 70 KNOTS, DROPPED TO AN AVERAGE OF 185 A MONTH BETWEEN APRIL AND JUNE, 85 PER CENT DOWN FROM THE AVERAGE MONTHLY SIGHTINGS OF 1,250 REGISTERED IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR. THE AVERAGE SIGHTINGS OF THESE SPEEDBOATS WERE FURTHER REDUCED TO 23 IN JULY.

ARMED WITH NEW LEGAL POWERS, MR THOMSON SAID: **WE RAIDED THE BOATYARDS AND SEIZED A LARGE NUMBER OF SPEEDBOATS WHICH WERE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND HAVE CONTINUED ΤΟ SEIZE THESE VESSELS AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.

"THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES ALSO MOUNTED AN INITIATIVE THESE BOATS AND SEIZED OR DESTROYED A LARGE NUMBER.

AGAINST

"THE SMUGGLERS HAVE LEARNED THAT THE PRESENCE OF A SPEEDBOAT IN HONG KONG WATERS BRINGS UNWANTED ATTENTION AND THE ANTI-SMUGGLING TASK FORCE BREAKING DOWN THEIR NECKS," HE SAID.

WITH THE HUGH PROFITS INVOLVED, MR THOMSON SAID, HOWEVER, THAT SMUGGLERS WOULD CERTAINLY ATTEMPT TO FIND WAYS TO CIRCUMVENT THE LAWS

BY USING BOATS WHICH CONFORMED TO CURRENT LICENSING CONDITIONS.

"ALTHOUGH WORRYING, THIS NEW TREND HAS REDUCED THE VOLUME OF ILLICIT CARGO AND OF COURSE, THE NEW BOATS WHICH ARE SMALLER AND CANNOT TAKE A VEHICLE,' MR THOMSON SAID.

"I

HE ASSURED THAT THE TASK FORCE WOULD CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A TIGHT GRIP OVER SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES WHICH WERE CONTROLLED LARGELY BY TRIADS.

"IF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN HONG KONG DO NOT ACT TO CONTAIN THIS MENACE, THEN WE FAIL IN OUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY ΤΟ MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER IN THE WATERS OF HONG KONG," MR THOMSON STRESSED.

OPEN SEA MARICULTURE INTERESTS ACAF SUB-COMMITTEE MEMBERS

MEMBERS OF THE AQUACULTURE SUB-COMMITTEE UNDER THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (ACAF) WHO SAW FOR THEMSELVES AN EXPERIMENT ON OPEN SEA MARICULTURE OFF CLEAR WATER BAY TODAY (THURSDAY) WERE DEEPLY INTERESTED BY THE NEW FISH FARMING TECHNIQUE.

THE TECHNIQUE INVOLVES THE SETTING UP OF A CAGE SYSTEM WHICH CAN WITHSTAND STRONG CURRENT AND WAVE ACTION IN THE OPEN SEA. FISH ARE REARED IN THE CAGE AS IN CONVENTIONAL FISH FARMS.

ONE SUCH CAGE SYSTEM COSTING $340,000 HAS BEEN INSTALLED IN WATERS OFF TAI HANG TUN OF CLEAR WATER BAY IN MAY TRIS YEAR BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH A LOCAL FISH FARMING COMPANY, TO EXPERIMENT THE NEW MARICULTURE TECHNIQUE IN LOCAL CONDITIONS.

/THE 5,000