The Fisheries Industry

Fresh fish constitute one of Hong Kong's most important primary products. Productions from capture and culture fisheries were estimated at about 173 970 tonnes and 5 130 tonnes respectively, with a total value of $1.9 billion.

The Hong Kong fishing fleet, manned by 11 560 local fishermen and 4 560 Mainland deckhands, comprises some 5 100 vessels of which 2 750 are sampans or non-mechanised boats. The predominant fishing method is trawling, which accounted for 84 per cent of the catch, or 146 140 tonnes. Other fishing methods include lining, gill netting and purse-seining. The total fish catch in 2001 amounted to 173 970 tonnes, with an estimated wholesale value of $1.7 billion. Discounting the catch landed or sold outside Hong Kong, some 59 880 tonnes of the catch were supplied for local consumption, representing 31 per cent of the seafood consumed in Hong Kong.

Under licence from the AFCD, 1 320 mariculturists operate in 26 designated fish culture zones. They supplied 2 470 tonnes of live marine fish valued at $136 million.

Freshwater and brackish water fish are cultured in fish ponds covering some 1 060 hectares, most of which are located in the north-western New Territories where they form part of the wetland system of conservation interest. The area devoted to fish ponds has gradually declined with the increasing urbanisation of the New Territories. Pond fish culture yielded 2 550 tonnes, or 6 per cent, of freshwater fish for local consumption.