ENG-1992 — Page 139

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

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since the inception of these three funds had reached $292 million, with $287 million having been repaid.

There are 65 co-operative societies and two federations among the farming community with a total membership of some 11 548 farmers. These societies help to promote agriculture and the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries acts as their registrar. His powers and duties relate to such matters as the registration of co-operative societies and their by-laws, the auditing of accounts, inspection and enquiry, and general supervision of operations.

An agricultural land rehabilitation scheme aimed at bringing fallow arable land back to efficient cultivation is being implemented by the department. Infrastructural improvements in irrigation, drainage and farm road access are being effected and a package of assistance including advance payment of rent, soil improvement and marketing facilities offered. The results of a pilot scheme at Cheung Po in Yuen Long and another at Hok Tau in Fanling have been satisfactory. Plans are in hand to extend this scheme to other suitable areas.

Fishing Industry

Marine fish constitute one of Hong Kong's most important primary products. In 1992, total production from marine capture and culture fisheries was estimated at about 223 400 tonnes with a wholesale value of $2,510 million. This represented a decrease of three per cent in weight and a decrease of one per cent in value compared with 1991. In weight terms, marine capture contributed 98 per cent towards total production while the remainder came from culture operations.

The Hong Kong fishing fleet, manned by 21 000 fishermen, comprises some 4 500 vessels of which 4 200 are mechanised. It plays a vital role in primary production, catching over 150 species of commercially important food fish and supplying over 55 per cent of all marine produce consumed locally. Golden thread, bigeyes, lizard-fishes, squid, melon seed, conger pike eels, croakers, hairtail, scads and yellow belly are the most important species landed.

Major fishing methods include trawling, lining, gill-netting and purse-seining. About 60 per cent of the vessels are between 10 and 34 metres in length comprising mainly trawlers, liners and gill-netters that operate on the continental shelf of the South China Sea between the Gulf of Tonkin and the East China Sea. The remaining 40 per cent of the vessels are less than 10 metres long, consisting primarily of gill-netters, hand-liners, and purse-seiners which operate in shallow coastal waters.

Trawling accounted for 73 per cent or 160 000 tonnes of marine fish landed in 1992. The total landed catch of live and fresh marine fish available for local consumption amounted to 96 000 tonnes with an estimated wholesale value of $1,050 million.

Marine fish culture is practised within 26 designated fish culture zones, most of which are to be found around the coast of the eastern New Territories. Fish culture licences are issued by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. At the year-end, there were 1 651 licensed mariculturists. Young fish are reared in cages suspended from buoyed rafts. Grouper, seabream and snapper are the most common culture species. In 1992, this sector supplied 3 400 tonnes of live marine fish valued at $210 million.

Freshwater fish are also cultured. Fish ponds covering 1 350 hectares are located in the New Territories, mostly around Yuen Long. Several different species of carp are cultured in the same pond, each with a different food requirement to maximise utilisation of the nutrients introduced. The land area devoted to fish ponds has gradually declined because of