ENG-1966 — Page 114

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

79

Colony's middle and distant water fleet, for which it has a capital of $5 million. There is close co-operation with the Fish Marketing Organization, which administers two other funds and investigates applications for loans from all three. Together they provide capital of over $8 million for the development of the industry.

The Fisheries Research Division is engaged in a programme of biological and oceanographic research in the South China Sea, using the 240-ton research trawler Cape St Mary. The regular survey by otter trawl of known fishing grounds on the continental shelf between Formosa and Hainan Island continued, as did an analysis of commercial fisheries statistics derived from the fleet. In September 1965 the Cape St Mary embarked on the first of a regular series of oceanographic cruises in the northern part of the South China Sea, as the United Kingdom contribution to the Co- operative Study of the Kuroshio (CSK), a multi-ship, international expedition organized by the Inter-governmental Oceanographic Commission. These cruises continued with modifications in 1966.

The fishing fleet consists of some 8,600 fishing junks of various sizes and designs and seven pairs of Japanese-type trawlers, all of which are British registered. The fishing population consists chiefly of Tanka people, and the main fishing centres are Aberdeen and Shau Kei Wan on Hong Kong Island, and Castle Peak, Tai Po and Tolo Channel area, Sha Tau Kok, Sai Kung, Tai O and Cheung Chau in the New Territories. Junks are built locally from imported timber, China fir being the most popular material though teak and yacal are also used in increasing quantities. Most of the fleet is owner-operated, while the rest are directed by fish dealers and fishing companies. Of the fishing fleet of 8,600 junks over 6,200 are mechanized.

Purse seiners, gill-netters, shrimp trawlers and other inshore vessels operate mainly to the south of the Colony inside the 20- fathom line. A number of the more adventurous owners of medium- size mechanized boats have commenced fishing around Taya Island about 220 miles south-west of Hong Kong. The larger junk-type trawlers and long liners have gradually extended their operations and now work mainly in 30–70 fathoms along the coast of Kwang- tung. Although a few of the larger mechanized boats are capable of fishing in the Gulf of Tonkin (some 500 miles away) the war in