Fresh fish is one of Hong Kong's most important primary products. In 2006, fish caught and fish reared in ponds and floating cages amounted to about 154 540 tonnes and 3 560 tonnes respectively. Their combined value was $1.7 billion.

The Hong Kong fishing fleet consists of some 3 940 vessels, manned by about 8 460 local fishermen and 3 100 Mainland deckhands. The predominant fishing method is trawling, which accounted for 84 per cent of fish caught, weighing about 129 980 tonnes. Other methods include lining, gill netting and purse-seining. The total catch weighed 154 540 tonnes and had an estimated wholesale value of $1.6 billion. The industry provided some 46 200 tonnes of fish for local consumption during the year.

Under licence issued by the AFCD, 1 081 mariculturists operate in 26 designated fish culture zones. They supplied the market with 1 490 tonnes of live marine fish valued at $89 million.

Freshwater and brackish water fish are reared in fish ponds, most of which are located in the northwestern part of the New Territories. With the increasing urbanisation of the New Territories, commercial production of pond fish has gradually declined. Pond fish culture yielded some 1 940 tonnes of fish, or 5 per cent of freshwater fish for local consumption in 2006.

The AFCD continued to pursue a number of fisheries management and conservation measures and stepped up action against destructive fishing practices to promote sustainable development of the fishing industry and to conserve fish resources in Hong Kong waters. During the year, artificial reefs made from demolished concrete piers were installed in the Tung Ping Chau Marine Park to boost fish resources there and to conserve the ecology of the Marine Park.

In addition, the department continued to assist fishermen to switch to sustainable modes of operation. It also helped them to cope with the annual fishing moratorium in the South China Sea, imposed by the Mainland authorities by providing technical support, liaison services and credit facilities. About $60 million was injected into the Fish Marketing Organisation Loan Fund to strengthen loan aid to fishermen affected by the annual fishing moratorium. Another $190 million was added to the Fisheries Development Loan Fund to provide loans to fishermen to help them switch to sustainable fisheries, or related operations and for fish farmers to develop their aquaculture business.

The Committee on Sustainable Fisheries was established in late 2006 to advise the Government on long-term goals and direction for the sustainable development of the Hong Kong fisheries industry, and on strategy.

The AFCD conducts studies and provides technical services to fish farmers to strengthen the aquaculture industry's sustainability. A fish health management programme is being carried out to help fish farmers minimise losses caused by fish disease. As part of the programme, AFCD staff visit farmers regularly to teach them how to prevent and detect disease breaking out in their farms. The programme also provides for the provision of a diagnostic laboratory service for examining the cause of disease outbreaks and for advising farmers on appropriate action to take in the event of such outbreaks. Improved techniques and good management practices are introduced to farmers through seminars, on-farm demonstrations and leaflets. The department also identifies new fish species that have good market potential.

Following the successful completion of a trial in hatching imported jade perch fertilised eggs and in rearing fish fry in temperature-controlled tanks, the department introduced the technique to fish farmers and helped them produce a fresh batch of jade perch fry to maintain a stable supply of the species at a lower price.

The AFCD is continuing its voluntary Accredited Fish Farm Scheme to strengthen the aquaculture industry's competitiveness. Fish farms taking part in the scheme are required to adopt good aquaculture practices to raise their farms' hygiene standards and the quality of their cultured fish. Quality assurance tests, including analyses of drug residues and heavy metals in fish are conducted to ensure that the cultured fish meet the required food safety standards before they are sold. Since the start of the scheme in mid-2005, 61 fish farms have registered under the scheme. Together, they sold over 36 000 kilograms of the accredited fish, comprising Pompano, grey mullets and green groupers. The 61 participating farms occupy about 10 per cent of the area used by the local fish industry as a whole. The accredited fish carry tags bearing the scheme's name, 'Accredited Fish Farm Scheme' to distinguish them from other fish. The AFCD and the Fish Marketing Organisation work together to promote the marketing of this category of fish.

As a result of the promising findings of the study carried out in the Kau Sai fish culture zone where specially designed artificial reefs known as biofilters are used to improve the water quality and seabed there, the AFCD is planning to install the same kind of biofilters in another fish culture zone in Sham Wan.

The department continues to monitor red tides to protect the mariculture industry. The preventive measures include phytoplankton monitoring which enables the department to detect red tides as they begin to form and to make a quick assessment of the damage they might cause. Red tide warnings are issued to the mariculturists through the support groups at the fish culture zones. They are also posted on the AFCD's website and disseminated through press releases. In 2006, a total of 14 red tides were recorded in Hong Kong waters.