ENG-1971 — Page 101

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

63

Fisheries research is carried on at the main station in Aberdeen, and sub-stations at Kat O and Au Tau. The Aberdeen station is concerned with biological and hydrographical research in local waters in the northern part of the South China Sea and with aquaculture research. At the Kat O sub-station, investigations are continuing into mariculture and at the Au Tau sub-station, experiments relating to induced breeding of carp species are in hand.

Development and extension services are also provided for the agricultural and fishing industries. The main development in the agricultural industry (due primarily to rising labour costs), is the increasing interest farmers have shown in the use of small farm machines and sprinkler irrigation. At the end of 1971, 183 'Landmaster' cultivators were in use on fields and 158 sprinkler units were established on vegetable farms. With financial and technical assistance from the Government, the fishing industry is in the process of further development and modernisation with the in- troduction of new vessel designs, including the 86-foot wooden pair trawler and long-liner and the 54-foot long-liner. About 200 of these have so far been built, 150 with private funds and 50 with govern- ment financial aid.

The Colony is divided into three districts for agricultural exten- sion. Each district is administered by a District Extension- Staff, supported by teams of specialists trained to deal with farming, livestock and co-operative problems. Close contact with the farming community is maintained by means of farm advisers and by liaison with local co-operative societies and rural associations. Both credit and technical facilities are available through the extension service. In the rural extension programme in 1971, over 1,110 farmers attended discussion groups led by professional and technical officers from the department. A restricted programme of formal training was also carried out in which 235 farmers and farmers' sons and daugh- ters received vocational training in a wide variety of subjects. Over 137,100 visits were made to farmers and co-operative societies by both professional and technical officers and farmers also visited government experimental farms and farming projects.

Close contact with the fishing community is maintained through an extension service, similar in scope to that provided for the agri- cultural industry, and by liaison with fishermen's co-operative socie- ties. A number of these societies operate their own revolving loan fund schemes which continue to grow in size and effectiveness. The position of registered fishermen's co-operative societies as at Decem- ber 31, 1971, is shown at Appendix 25. Extension work also included