ENG-1956 — Page 123

PRODUCTION

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purse seine net boats and shrimp trawlers. The total quantity of fish landed was 40,451 tons, as compared with 40,333 tons in 1955. The comparatively small increase in landings, when considered in relation to the greatly increased number of mechanized vessels, is explained by the fact that the fleet operated by one of the local British registered trawler com- panies was laid up for several months.

Oyster-beds and fish ponds. Oyster culture in this region has a tradition of 700 years behind it. At present the principal area concerned is Deep Bay, where, with assistance from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, impor- tant improvements are being made in oyster culture methods. The area concerned consists of 4,575 acres on the New Territories side of the Bay. Three areas of 10 acres each have been taken over by the Department, and following demon- strations of the Japanese hanging-drop method of culture, (a considerable improvement on local traditional methods), the acreage under cultivation is now being gradually extended into deeper water. Annual production, valued at $1,300,000, is about 943 tons of fresh oyster meat, the bulk of which is processed into dried meat and into juice, for export.

In Tolo Harbour attempts are being made to introduce edible oysters. Moreover, a pilot experiment, conducted by local business interests in association with Japanese techni- cians, has proved that a lucrative cultured pearl industry can be created in the area.

There are about 500 acres of ponds used for fish farming, producing annually about 410 tons of carp and mullet. Due to the difficulty of obtaining supplies of the customary species of carp fry from China, local fish culturalists have become increasingly more interested in rearing tilapia, a fish which will breed profusely in the captivity of even the smallest pond. For the same reason dealers exported only some 61 m. fish fry, as against 22 m. during the previous year. The main destinations were Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and Japan.