ENG-1985 — Page 121

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

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gill-netting and purse-seining. Trawling is the most important, accounting for 70 per cent or 75 000 tonnes of marine fish landed in 1985. The total landed catch of live and fresh marine fish available for local consumption in 1985 amounted to 90 000 tonnes, with a wholesale value of $790 million. This represented 88 per cent of the local consumer demand.

Pond fish farming is the most important culture activity. Fish ponds covering 1 450 hectares are located in the New Territories, mostly in the Yuen Long district. Traditional pond fish farming is similar to that practised in China for hundreds of years. Several different carp species are cultured in the same pond, each deriving its food from a different source and so making the utmost use of the nutrients introduced. Owing to the increasing urbanisation of the New Territories, the land area devoted to fish ponds has gradually declined. During the year, the ponds yielded 5 800 tonnes, or 10 per cent of the local consumption of freshwater fish.

Marine fish culture has developed considerably in the past decade. Young fish, captured from their natural environment, are fattened in cages suspended from rafts in sheltered bays throughout Hong Kong, particularly in the eastern New Territories. Under the Marine Fish Culture Ordinance, 27 fish culture zones have been designated and all marine fish culture is now required to be conducted at sites within these zones under licences issued by the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries. By year-end, 1 480 licences had been issued. Live marine fish supplied by this activity in 1985 amounted to 1 500 tonnes, valued at $110 million.

Marketing

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Much of the wholesale marketing of primary products - particularly fresh foods - is the responsibility of the Agriculture and Fisheries Department and the Vegetable and Fish Marketing Organisations. In 1985, 43 per cent of the total quantity of locally produced vegetables, and 68 per cent of the total landings of marine fish were sold through the organisations.

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The Vegetable Marketing Organisation operates under the Agricultural Products (Marketing) Ordinance, which also provides for the establishment of a Marketing Advisory Board to advise the Director of Marketing (the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries). The organisation is responsible for transporting locally produced vegetables from the New Territories to the wholesale market in Kowloon, providing marketing facilities, and supervising sales and financial transactions in the market. Revenue is obtained from a 10 per cent commission on sales. The organisation is non-profit-making. It seeks to maximise returns to farmers by minimising marketing costs. It also provides ancillary services such as the acquisition and sale of agricultural supplies to farmers and the awarding of secondary and tertiary education scholarships to the children of farmers. During the year, 65 000 tonnes of local vegetables valued at $152 million were sold through the organisation.

The Fish Marketing Organisation operates under the Marine Fish (Marketing) Ordi- nance, which also provides for the establishment of a Fish Marketing Advisory Board. The ordinance provides for the control of the landing, wholesale marketing, and the import and export of marine fish. The organisation operates seven wholesale fish markets. Revenue comes from a six per cent commission on the proceeds of sales. Surplus earnings are channelled back into the industry in the form of various services such as low-interest loans to fishermen, improvements to the markets, financial support for the 13 schools for fishermen's children, and scholarships for secondary and tertiary education.

In 1985, the wholesale fish markets handled 66 000 tonnes of marine fish, crustacea and molluscs which were sold for $460 million. This included 1 170 tonnes of imported marine fish sold through these markets.