 |
|
|||
|
||||
|
WORK OF THE FISHERIES BRANCH
The fisheries industry, which comprises capture fisheries, mariculture and pond fish culture, provides a steady supply of fresh fish to the local market. In 2011, the capture fisheries and mariculture sectors accounted for about 25% of all seafood consumed in Hong Kong, whereas pond fish farms produced about 5% of the total consumption of freshwater fish.
Mariculture involves rearing marine fish in cages suspended by floating rafts in sheltered coastal areas. In 2011, there were 1,015 licensed operators in the 26 fish culture zones designated under the Marine Fish Culture Ordinance (Cap 353) (a location map is at Appendix 8), occupying a sea area of 209 hectares. Most licensed operations are small and family-based, with farm size averaging about 280 square metres. Estimated production in 2011 was 1,185 tonnes, or about 7% of all locally consumed live marine fish.
Ban on Trawling in Hong Kong Waters
The Government introduced a ban on trawling in Hong Kong waters to allow the rehabilitation of the damaged seabed and depleted marine resources. The subsidiary legislation for banning trawling in Hong Kong waters was passed by the Legislative Council on May 18, 2011, and the relevant legislation will come into effect on December 31, 2012.
Hong Kong waters are patrolled regularly to deter destructive fishing practices prohibited under the Fisheries Protection Ordinance (Cap 171). These practices include the use of explosives, toxic substances, dredging or suction devices and apparatus that transmits electricity. Fourteen cases of illegal fishing were successfully prosecuted during the year.
Artificial reefs are effective in promoting the growth and development of various marine organisms which in turn provide food,
The Department provides technical support, training and liaison services, and credit facilities to fishermen. During the year, the Department continued to liaise with both Mainland and foreign fisheries authorities and agencies to obtain information on recreational fishing, aquaculture, fish processing and other sustainable fisheries operations, and disseminate it to fishermen. Technical advice was also given to fishermen to help formulate their development proposals.
To protect fisheries resources and habitats, the Department continues to vet and provide professional advice on development proposals as well as relevant Environmental Impact Assessment studies, monitoring and audit programmes to ensure that the potential impacts of development projects on fisheries have been adequately addressed and evaluated, and that such impacts would be avoided or minimised through effective mitigation. The Department also assisted in conducting investigations in fish kills or water quality deterioration incidents allegedly caused by development projects with a view to providing prompt advice on remedial actions and minimising fish loss.
Proper Management of Marine Fish Culture Activities
A voluntary Accredited Fish Farm Scheme has been implemented since mid 2005 to enhance the competitiveness of the local aquaculture industry. Participating fish farms are required to adopt a set of good aquaculture practices with a view to raising the environmental hygiene standards of the fish farms and the quality of cultured fish.
To monitor and promote the quality of local aquaculture farms, the Department implements a voluntary registration scheme for local pond fish farms. As at March 2012, 292 pond fish farmers have registered under the scheme.
Ensuring Orderly Wholesale Marketing
The Department works closely with the FMO to promote local fisheries products. During the year, the FMO continued to develop quality fisheries products at its processing centre and to bring local fisheries products, in particular fish accredited under the Accredited Fish Farm Scheme, to the public through its marketing network. |
||||
In 2011, the number of fishing vessels was about 4,000 and that of local fishermen was about 8,500. The main fishing methods are trawling, long-lining, hand-lining, gill-netting and purse-seining, with about 82% of the total catch obtained through trawling. The number of fishing vessels by type is at 
Most inland ponds are located in the Northwest New Territories. These ponds, covering some 1,130 hectares, produced 2,315 tonnes of freshwater fish in 2011. Most ponds practise polyculture of carps mixed with tilapia or grey mullet. Some coastal ponds have been converted to culture brackish species, such as scat, sea bream, pampano and giant grouper, to reap better profits.
The Department will launch a special training programme to help the affected fishermen switch to other sustainable fisheries operations, including aquaculture fisheries and recreational fishing. As part of the fisheries management measures, we will use some of the bought-out trawlers as artificial reefs, which are conducive to enhancing the rehabilitation of the fisheries resources and improving the marine habitats in Hong Kong waters.
protection and shelter for fish. Since 1996, the Department has been implementing an artificial reefs programme and some 179,000 cubic metres of artificial reefs have been deployed at suitable locations including Marine Parks, and important fish spawning and nursery grounds in Port Shelter and Long Harbour. Over 220 species of fish, including many high-value ones such as grouper, bream, snapper and sweetlip, have been found using the reefs for feeding and shelter, as well as spawning and nursery. To improve the water quality and seabed condition of fish culture zones, artificial reefs used as biofilters were deployed in the Kau Sai, Sham Wan and Lo Tik Wan fish culture zones. A study on fisheries resources at artificial reefs has been commenced in 2011 to continue monitoring the effectiveness of various types of artificial reefs on enriching fisheries resources.
To help some 1,200 local fishing vessels affected by the annual two-and-a-half-month fishing moratorium from mid May to end July in the South China Sea implemented by the Mainland authorities in 2011, fishing moratorium and extra loans were made available to the affected vessels' owners under the Fish Marketing Organization Loan Fund. Some 380 fishing moratorium loans and some 270 extra loans totaling $71.8 million were issued to affected fishermen in 2011. 
Under the Marine Fish Culture Ordinance (Cap 353), all marine fish culture activities in Hong Kong are required to be operated under licence in designated fish culture zones. The Department conducts regular patrols in these fish culture zones to ensure that fish culture activities comply with the Ordinance and the licence conditions.
To minimise the impact of red tides and water quality deterioration on mariculture, the Department regularly monitors water quality of fish culture zones and implements a red tide monitoring and management programme. The latter includes proactive phytoplankton monitoring before the formation of a red tide and rapid risk assessment of reported red tide incidents. A computerised system using Geographic Information System technology was established to help visualise the spatial and temporal distribution of red tides and provide a quick analysis of their development and movement. Prompt red tide warnings and technical advice are disseminated to mariculturists and the public through the red tide support groups set up in various fish culture zones, press releases and the Red Tide 
To help fish farmers minimise losses due to fish disease, the Department has put in place a fish health inspection programme. During the year, regular farm visits were conducted to facilitate early detection of disease outbreaks, training was provided to fish farmers on disease prevention measures, and fish disease diagnosis and treatment services were given in case of an outbreak. Under the "Good Aquaculture Practices Programme", the Department visits fish farms regularly to collect water and fish samples for analysis to monitor conditions of the farms. Seminars, on-farm demonstrations and advisory booklets are given to farmers on new techniques and good management practices.
Quality assurance tests, including analyses of drug residues and heavy metals in fish, are conducted to ensure that all cultured fish meet food safety standards before they are sold in the market. The scheme has been very well received by local mariculturists and pond fish farmers. As at March 2012, a total of 103 fish farms (33 freshwater farms and 70 mariculture farms), representing 19% of the total area of local fish farms, have registered under the scheme. In collaboration with the FMO, the Department continued to publicise and promote the marketing of fish products accredited under the scheme.
The Department has been conducting fish hatchery trials in Ta Kwu Ling since 2008 and assisting local fish farmers in setting up local hatcheries and nurseries. The jade perch hatchery technology developed by the Department has been successfully transferred to local fish farmers.
The Department provides technical and administrative support to the FMO, a statutory organisation established under the Marine Fish (Marketing) Ordinance (Cap 291) to ensure that orderly fish marketing services are provided to fishermen and fish traders through the wholesale fish markets operated by the FMO. The Department also undertakes enforcement actions against illegal wholesale marketing of marine fish in accordance with Cap 291.
|
