ENG-2002 — Page 232

FOOD SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE, AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES

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The voluntary Accredited Farm Scheme implemented by the AFCD and the Vegetable Marketing Organisation since 1994 aims to supply clean and safe vegetables. This programme has continued to expand with an additional six farms accredited. The organisation continued to use a 'Good Farmer' cartoon logo to promote accredited produce.

Livestock farmers are encouraged to adopt sustainable production practices that minimise the impact on the environment. To ensure food safety, legislative controls are in place to regulate the use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals (including clenbuterol) in food animals. There is also an identification system for pigs, cattle and goats destined for market so that their origins can be traced. Training is also available to farmers on the proper use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals on farms.

Livestock farmers are also required to install and operate waste treatment systems under the Livestock Keeping Licensing Scheme to prevent pollution of watercourses. During the year, the AFCD renewed 185 licences and issued three new licences; five licence applications were being processed.

The Fisheries Industry

Fresh fish constitute one of Hong Kong's most important primary products. Productions from capture and culture fisheries in 2002 were estimated at about 169 790 tonnes and 3 400 tonnes respectively, with a total value of $17 billion.

The Hong Kong fishing fleet, manned by some 10 860 local fishermen and 4 100 Mainland deckhands, comprises some 4 770 vessels of which 2 530 are sampans or non-mechanised boats. The predominant fishing method is trawling, which accounted for 86 per cent of the catch, or 145 660 tonnes. Other fishing methods include lining, gill netting and purse-seining. The total fish catch in 2002 amounted to 169 790 tonnes, with an estimated wholesale value of $16 billion. Discounting the catch landed or sold outside Hong Kong, some 62 880 tonnes of the catch were supplied for local consumption.

Under licence from the AFCD, 1 237 mariculturists operate in 26 designated fish culture zones. They supplied 1 210 tonnes of live marine fish valued at $57 million. Freshwater and brackish water fish are cultured in fish ponds covering some 1 030 hectares, most of which are located in the north-western New Territories where they form part of the wetland system of conservation interest. With the increasing urbanisation of the New Territories, commercial fish pond production has gradually declined. Pond fish culture yielded 1 990 tonnes, or 4 per cent, of freshwater fish for local consumption.

Fisheries Development

To promote sustainable development of the fishing industry and to conserve fisheries resources in Hong Kong waters, the AFCD continued to pursue a number of fisheries management and conservation measures and to strengthen enforcement against destructive fishing practices prohibited under the Fisheries Protection Ordinance. Besides addressing the issues relating to the decline of fisheries resources in the traditional fishing grounds of Hong Kong fishermen and to assist them in venturing further afield, the department completed a consultancy study to look into the feasibility of developing an offshore fishing industry. The findings of the study serve as a reference to fishermen who are interested in developing an offshore fishing