ENG-1968 — Page 115

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PRIMARY PRODUCTION

Crews work as units in accessible localities in the plantations during the day and stand by overnight at the protection posts.

Although not as disastrous as the previous year, the 1967-8 winter fire season was one of the most serious on record, with 337,000 trees destroyed or damaged in government plantations alone. Hill fires are normally rare during the mid-summer months but in the last two years there were a number of outbreaks even in July.

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FISHERIES

Marine fish is one of Hong Kong's main primary products and in 1967-8 total landings amounted to 1,033,683 piculs (62,496 metric tons) valued at $79,945,651. The fishing fleet of the Colony is one of the largest of any port in the Commonwealth. The number of fishermen was estimated at 56,000. The govern- ment's aim is to foster the development of the fishing industry, to increase supplies of fish and to improve the economic status of those engaged in the industry. The Fisheries Branch of the Agricul- ture and Fisheries Department operates in two main divisions; development and extension (including marketing, credit, co- operation and education), and fisheries research.

The fishing fleet consists of some 6,800 fishing junks of various sizes and designs of which more than 5,000 are mechanized, and five 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. Hardwood from Borneo is the most popular material. Most of the fleet is owner-operated, while the rest are directed by fish dealers and fishing companies.

Purse-seiners, gill-netters, shrimp-trawlers and other inshore vessels operate mainly to the south of the Colony within the 20- fathom line. A number of the more adventurous owners of medium- size mechanized boats are now fishing around Taya Island about 220 miles south-west of Hong Kong. The larger junk-type