ENG-1951 — Page 60

there, the fish is sorted and put up for public auction. Fisherfolk may collect the proceeds of sale (less a 6 per cent commission charge which covers all services) directly after the sale if they are present at the market or from their local depôt after the proceeds have been transported safely back early next day. The Organization also undertakes the transport of fish after sale to the buyer's place of business.

It was formerly the custom for at least 60 per cent of the fish caught by the Hong Kong fishing fleet to be salted, dried and sent up river to Canton where there was a considerable demand for it at good prices. Increased mechanization of the Hong Kong fleet has meant that fish can be transported more quickly from the fishing grounds and in consequence less fish has had to be salted. At the same time the Kwangtung authorities have placed restrictions on the import of salt fish from Hong Kong. These two factors have caused a notable change in the amounts of fresh and salted fish marketed in Hong Kong as the figures given above show. Since 1950 there has been a marked and welcome increase in the amount of fresh fish on sale and a reduction by half of the amount of salt fish landed. In consequence the general average price of fresh fish has been slightly lower than in previous years.

Facilities are provided by the Fish Marketing Organization for fishermen to borrow money at reasonable rates of interest. Most of the loans are short-term, mainly for the repair of gear and boats, but a few loans of larger amounts have been granted for mechanization of craft. The Organization also subsidizes schools which have been established for fishermen's children and awards scholarships to recognized schools.

At the collecting depôts fishermen's requisites are sold at wholesale prices. The depôts also act as distributors of rationed rice and other commodities to fisherfolk and are used as centres where the various problems confronting the fishing community may be discussed.

The whole Organization is self-supporting and has been planned so that it may eventually be taken over by fishermen and run as a cooperative organization.

Fish Fry

A considerable amount of fish fry used for stocking fish-ponds is exported each year by air to Malaya, Thailand and, to a lesser extent, Formosa. In 1951, 661,000 fish fry valued at $83,647 were exported. The fry are brought to Hong Kong by boat chiefly from the West River region of Kwangtung; they are placed in hermetically sealed 4-gallon petrol tins which are filled 3/5 with well water and 2/5 with oxygen. Consignments generally consist of 10 to 20 tins each containing 500 to 1,000 fry according to size, which ranges from 1" during summer and autumn to 2" in winter and spring.

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