ENG-1948 — Page 65

A large number of applications have been received from companies wishing to base modern fishing vessels in the Colony. Two Japanese-type trawlers were successful in operating in the fishing grounds of Tonkin Bay and obtained good prices for fish while sail-driven craft were laid up for the typhoon season. Unfortunately the vessels were caught by a late typhoon off the Paracel Islands and one of them is presumed sunk. Undeterred, the owners intend to increase their fleet in Hong Kong.

The following are the figures for the weights and values of fresh and salt/dried fish sold in the Wholesale Markets at Taipo and Kennedy Town:

Fresh Fish.

Piculs

$

1946 32,000 3,120,457

Salt/dried Fish.

$

Piculs 211,558 18,476,432 189,273 11,166,577

Piculs

Total.

$

243,558 21,596,889 233,691 14,522 089

1947 44,418 3,355,512 1948 121,818 8,651,356 246,368 11,941,514 368,186 20,592,870

The considerable increase in quantity of fish handled by the Markets in 1948 is noticeable immediately. This is only partly due to the improved fishing conditions of this year. In previous years, the former fresh fish "laans" had been able to exercise influence to force fishermen who owed them money to sell their catch through them in the illegal "free" market. Strict police action against the fresh fish "laans" and their accomplices did much to remedy this and a considerable increase in quantities of fresh fish sent to Government-operated Markets was effected.

There has been a steady decrease in the prices of both fresh and salt/dried fish over the past three years. On the average, in 1946 fresh fish fetched $97 a picul and salt/dried fish $87 and in 1948 fresh fish $71 and salt/dried fish $48.

Before the war the proportion of salt/dried to fresh fish sold in the market was 3:2. After the war little fresh fish was landed and the proportion was of the order 8:1, but during 1948 the ratio closed to 2:1 . There are two main reasons for less fresh fish being marketed since the re-occupation. In the first place, no Japanese trawlers are now bringing fresh fish into the Colony. Secondly, the number of long-liners-these are the vessels that bring in most of the fresh fish to the Colony-is now only one third as great as before the war. Finally, there is the lack of adequate cold storage facilities in the Markets. Rather than take the chance of their fish spoiling if the fresh fish market is bad, many fishermen prefer to salt their catch.

The Export trade is the life blood of the Industry. Although the amount of fresh fish landed at present scarcely meets the needs of the local population there is always a substantial exportable sur-

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