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PRIMARY PRODUCTION

Four of the sites are in the Tolo Harbour and Channel area and there are two in Port Shelter. A shortage of suitable sites threatens to restrict wider expansion.

MARKETING

Fish Marketing Organization. The close of the Pacific War found the few fishermen remaining in the Colony in very poor circumstances; many were literally in rags and their vessels and fishing gear had fallen into a state of disrepair. Interest free loans and grants were made to rehabilitate the fishing fleet and a Fish Marketing Scheme was introduced and controls imposed on the landing and wholesale marketing of marine fish, with the long term object of developing the industry on a sound economic footing. From this beginning developed the Fish Marketing Organization, a non-Government trading organization controlled by a civil servant, now the Commissioner for Co-operative Development and Fisheries.

The Organization is a non-profit-making concern which finds its revenues and pays its expenses from a 6% commission on all the sales at its wholesale markets. It operates at present under emergency legislation. The Marketing (Marine Fish) Ordinance was enacted in 1956 to replace this, but has not been brought into force until the necessary subsidiary legislation has been prepared.

The Organization runs five wholesale fish markets, at Aberdeen and Shau Kei Wan on Hong Kong Island, Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon, and Tai Po and Sha Tau Kok in the New Territories. Six fish- collecting posts have been set up in other fishing centres and the Organization provides sea and land transport from these to the wholesale markets. The posts also serve as liaison offices for the Organization.

Fish is sorted into species and sizes at the markets by the staff of the Organization, weighed into lots and sold by public auction to licensed retailers. Fishermen may collect the proceeds from their sales directly after the sale has taken place or, if asked to do so, the Organization will send the money back to the post which serves their area. A further service is the transportation of fish to buyers' establishments in the urban areas.