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Perspectives on Marine Environment Change in Hong Kong and Southern China, 1977-2001 (ed . B. Morton). Proceedings o f a n Internationa l Worksho p Reunio n Conference, Hon g Kong 21-26 Octobe r 2001. Hong Kong : Hong Kong University Press , 2003. OVERFISHING AN D CHANGES T O THE FISHING INDUSTR Y I N HONG KON G A.W.Y. Leun g Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department , The Government o f the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region , Cheung Sha Wan, Hong Kon g ABSTRACT The status of fisheries in Hong Kong's development priorities was high before and afte r the Secon d Worl d Wa r whe n foo d wa s scarc e an d th e se a seeme d t o offe r th e mos t reliable sourc e o f supply . Government' s post-wa r fisherie s developmen t effor t wa s directed toward s th e mechanizatio n o f th e fleet , expansio n o f th e resourc e bas e an d increased productivity . Wit h Government' s financia l assistance , couple d wit h technological advances , Hong Kong' s captur e fisheries expande d rapidly , i n term s of both operationa l range and depth. This expansion kep t Hong Kong's captur e fisherie s production o n a n upwar d tren d throug h th e 1970' s an d 1980's . Recently , however , capture fisheries production has leveled off at ~ 200,000 tonnes. Together with landings by the Mainland's fleet , productio n fro m th e northern shel f o f the South China Se a in the 1990' s must have surpassed the predicted one million tonne sustainable yield mark. Although there are few direct studies indicating either overfishing i n local waters or on the northern shelf of the South China Sea, all signs, such as a decline in the abundance of target species, a reduction in CPUE, and changes in species and the age compositions of landings, are pointing to such a conclusion. The surviving inshore fish fauna comprises only fast growing, small, short-lived, predominately pelagic and low value fish that feed on eithe r primary producer s o r primary consumers . A recent stud y has warne d tha t if fishing effor t continue s at its present level, species composition would remain unstable and production woul d not be sustainable. In respons e t o th e overfishin g problem , th e Government' s objective s fo r Hon g Kong's fisherie s ha s change d sinc e mi d 1990s , fro m 'facilitatin g production ' an d 'improving productivity' t o the 'sustainabl e use of fisheries resources' . This reflects a basic change in philosophy: from one aimed at increasing productivity to one that aims at sustaining the present level of production. To this end, Government began since 1995 to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in local waters to protect sensitive habitats, 720 A.W.Y. LEUNG such a s corals , se a gras s beds , an d spawnin g an d nurser y grounds . Othe r fisherie s management measures , suc h a s restricted entrance , fr y releas e an d the deployment o f artificial reef s i n no-tak e areas , wil l als o b e introduce d insid e thes e MPAs t o restor e and, hopefully, enhanc e the depleted local fisheriess resources . INTRODUCTION This revie w i s base d mainl y o n dat a collecte d b y th e Agricultural , Fisherie s an d Conservation Departmen t ove r th e years . Som e ar e published i n annua l departmenta l reports (Agricultur e an d Fisherie s Departmen t 1950 ; Agriculture , Fisherie s an d Conservation Departmen t 1998 ) o r i n th e proceeding s o f regiona l an d internationa l conferences an d journals (Chilver s 1973 ; Leung 1978 ; Leung and Lee 1987 ; Richards et al. 1985) . Other s wer e onl y publishe d i n interna l report s (Chun g an d Ch u 1974 ; Richards 1980 ; Leung 1988) , including data from th e following surveys : 1. Pai r and stern trawler catch per unit effort surve y conducted between 197 3 and 1995 2. Shrim p trawler CPUE survey conducte d between April 198 1 and May 198 2 3. Gil l net and lines...

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