Annex D   Fisheries Impact Assessment - Baseline Conditions

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BASELINE CONDITIONS

This Annex describes the baseline conditions of capture and culture fisheries resources within the Study Area.  This area was defined in the Study Brief as the area for the Water Quality Impact Assessment.  Consequently, this assessment of impacts has focussed on the fisheries resources of this area.  Baseline conditions are evaluated based on information from the literature.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

The availability of literature on the fisheries resources of the Study Area comes mainly from the AFCD 1996-97 Port Survey.  Other relevant reports from the Study Area have been reviewed.

In Hong Kong, the commercial marine fishing industry is divided into capture and culture fisheries.  To assess the capture fishery within the Study Area, the most up-to-date information on the Hong Kong fishery was consulted (1).  Information from other relevant studies within the Study Area were also reviewed in order to determine if the areas are important nursery and spawning grounds for commercial fisheries (2). 

Results of most recent surveys (3)  (4) showed that Tolo Harbour supports fish assemblages of low diversity, dominated by fast growing low-value species which appear to thrive in the heavily eutrophicated harbour waters. 

The findings of fisheries surveys, fishermen's interviews and accompanying literature reviews (5) conducted for AFCD's Fisheries Resources and Fishing Operations in Hong Kong Waters Study have determined that commercial fish species reproduce throughout the year, though spawning for the majority of species appears to be concentrated during the period from June to September.  Northeast waters are known to be the spawning grounds for many fish species.  Information showed that the fry of high value species (mainly the red pargo Pagrus major) have been found most abundant during February and March, whereas juveniles of other commercial species were found abundantly from July to August.  Waters in Tolo Channel and northeastern Mirs Bay are known as important nursery areas for high value species such as red pargo (Pagrus major) and goldlined seabream (Rhabdosargus sarba).

2.1 CAPTURE FISHERIES

In 2001, the estimated fisheries production in Hong Kong waters from both capture and culture fisheries amounted to 179,103 tonnes, valued at HK$ 1,912 million (6).  Capture fisheries accounted for 97 % by weight of the total production while the remaining 3 % corresponded to the culture sectors of the industry.  Within Hong Kong waters, the highest yields for local fisheries were mainly derived from the eastern and north-eastern coasts (7).  The five most abundant fish species landed by weight from the capture sector were golden thread (Nemipterus virgatus 14%), lizardfish (Saurida sp 9%), big-eyes (Priacanthus sp 5%), scads (Decapterus sp 5%) and yellow belly (Nemipterus bathybius 4%).

2.1.1 Fishing Operations

In 1989-91 AFCD devised a system whereby the waters of Hong Kong were divided up into Fishing Zones (7).  Data were gathered at that time on the catches of the Hong Kong fleet derived from these Fishing Zones.  Since this first Hong Kong wide survey, AFCD have updated the information which now indicates that the number of Fishing Zones equates to 189 of which 179 are actively fished by vessels in the Hong Kong fleet (8).

The up-to-date information from AFCD is available for use in this EIA and can be collated to allow an assessment be made of the importance of Fishing Zones in the Study Area to the Hong Kong fishery (Section 7 - Figure 7.3a).  The designated Fishing Zones within the Study Area have been identified and the importance of these zones will be assessed and discussed below.

The Study Area, within which potential impacts arising from the Project may occur, consists of seven Fishing Zones.  These zones are found in Tolo Harbour, Tolo Channel and Mirs Bay (Section 7 - Figure 7.3a and Table 2.1). 

The information presented in the tables indicates that the fisheries production levels vary markedly along the pipeline alignment (Table 2.2).  One of the fishing zones is ranked as recording high production (Tolo Channel North 4th of the 179 zones that reported a catch), four recorded medium ranked catches (Yim Tin Tsai West 60th, Yim Tin Tsai East 74th, Port Island 93rd and Ngo Mei Chau 113th), the remaining two zones recorded very low catches as Ping Chau was ranked as lowest of all of the fishing zones that reported catches (ie 179th of 179) and Mirs Bay was ranked as 176th.  Two of the fishing zones reported no fry catch (Yim Tin Tsai East and Ping Chau) and of the remainder that did report fry catches only Tolo Channel North was ranked as medium (56th of 89) whilst the others were ranked as low (Port Island 65th, Ngo Mei Chau 79th, Yim Tin Tsai W 87th and Mirs Bay 88th).

The main fish species reported in catches from the Study Area are of low commercial value including, mixed species (juveniles of trash fish species such as pony fish, scad, rabbitfish and sardine) (Table 2.3).  Only the sea breams, rock fish and chicken grunt are regarded as of medium value.

The catches in Tolo Channel are derived mainly from night operating bright light purse seine vessels.  As a consequence, the catches are composed of low commercial value fish species and are often sold as fish feed to mariculturists.  For the Northeast offshore fishing zones, the fisheries production is moderate but sampan (P4/7) fishing vessels are particularly dependent upon the area.

Table 2.1 Area (Ha) and Number of Vessels Operating During 1996 - 1997 in Each AFCD Fishing Zone within the Study Area

 

Code

Fishery Area

Area (Ha)

Vessels < 15 m

Vessels > 15 m

All Vessels

135

Yim Tin Tsai W

689.65

54

-

54

134

Yim Tin Tsai E

805.61

75

-

75

133

Tolo Channel N

1,018.25

176

15

191

 

 

 

 

 

 

145

Port Island

1,346.03

43

8

51

121A

Mirs Bay

13,961.51

23

-

23

122

Ping Chau

2,843.22

1

-

1

123

Ngo Mei Chau

1,917.57

88

2

91

Total

 

22,581

*

*

*

Total of all Fishing Zones in Hong Kong

 

181,791

2,267

260

2,527

Percentage of Hong Kong Total

 

12.42%

*

*

*

*  No values can be calculated for these parameters from the information provided as it cannot be determined whether the vessels reported as operating within one zone are the same vessels that are reported for another zone.

 

Table 2.2 Total Value ($), Adult Catch (kg) and Fry Catch (tails) Displayed on a Total Production, Production (Ha-1) and Rank (Ha-1) Basis for the AFCD Fishing Zones in the Study Area (1996 - 1997 Port Survey)

 

Code

Fishing Area

Total Production

Production (Ha-1)

Rank Production (Ha-1)

 

 

 

Adult Fish (kg)

Fry (tails)

 

Adult Fish (kg)

Fry (tails)

 

Adult Fish

(out of 179)

Fry

(out of 89)

 

135

Yim Tin Tsai W

112,984.93

1,759.26

 

163.83

2.55

 

60

87

 

134

Yim Tin Tsai E

111,603.43

-

 

138.53

-

 

74

-

 

133

Tolo Channel N

893,730.98

36,377.22

 

877.71

35.73

 

4

56

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

145

Port Island

134,021.49

27,130.55

 

99.57

20.16

 

93

65

 

121A

Mirs Bay

6,551.67

19,617.65

 

0.47

1.41

 

176

88

 

122

Ping Chau

744.86

-

 

0.26

-

 

179

-

 

123

Ngo Mei Chau

131,166.81

20,914.71

 

68.4

10.91

 

113

79

 

 

Table 2.3 Top Five Adult Fish (by weight) Caught in Each AFCD Fishing Zone within the waters of the Study Area (1996 - 1997 Port Survey)

 

Code

Fishing Area

Top Five Fish Caught (by weight)

 

 

 

Species

Common Name

135

Yim Tin Tsai W

Mixed Species

Mixed Species

 

 

Portunus pelagicus

Blue Crab

 

 

Leiognathus brevirostris

Pony Fish

 

 

Stolephorus zollingeri

Anchovy

 

 

Siganus oramin

Rabbitfish

134

Yim Tin Tsai E

 

 

 

 

Mixed Species

Mixed Species

 

 

Leiognathus brevirostris

Pony Fish

 

 

Portunus pelagicus

Blue Crab

 

 

Loligo spp

Squid

 

 

Siganus oramin

Rabbitfish

133

Tolo Channel N

 

 

 

 

Mixed Species

Mixed Species

 

 

Stolephorus zollingeri

Anchovy

 

 

Siganus oramin

Rabbitfish

 

 

Leiognathus brevirostris

Pony Fish

 

 

Trachurus japonicus

Scad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

145

Port Island

 

 

 

 

Mixed Species

Mixed Species

 

 

Stolephorus zollingeri

Anchovy

 

 

Siganus oramin

Rabbitfish

 

 

Sardinella jussieu

Sardine

 

 

Caranx spp.

Scad

121A

Mirs Bay

 

 

 

 

Sebasticus marmoratus

Rock Fish

 

 

Sparidae spp.

Sea Bream

 

 

Siganus oramin

Rabbitfish

 

 

Mixed Species

Mixed Species

 

 

Loligo edulis

Squid

122

Ping Chau

 

 

 

 

Urchin

Sea Urchin

 

 

Parapristipoma trilineatum

Chicken Grunt

 

 

Clam

Clam

 

 

Siganus oramin

Rabbitfish

 

 

Pinna bicolor

Fan Mussel

123

Ngo Mei Chau

 

 

 

 

Mixed Species

Mixed Species

 

 

Siganus oramin

Rabbitfish

 

 

Stolephorus spp.

Anchovy

 

 

Trichiurus haumela

Hairtail

 

 

Clupanodon punctatus

Gizzard Shad

 

2.2 CULTURE FISHERIES

The closest AFCD designated Fish Culture Zone (FCZ) to the Study Area are located at Yim Tin Tsai, Yim Tin Tsai (East), Yung Shue Au, Lo Fu Wat, Kau Lau Wan, Sham Wan and Tap Mun.  Although there are other FCZs in the northeast New Territories they are located sufficiently remote from the pipelines alignment as to not be affected by the works.  There are no figures available for individual production at these FCZs.  However, the sizes of the FCZs are presented below in Table 2.4.

Table 2.4 Summary of Fish Culture Zones (as at 30 June 2002)

 

Fish Culture Zone

Zone Area (m2)

No. of Licences Issued

No. of Licensed Raft

Licensed Area (m2)

Kau Lau Wan

11,200

13

17

1,372

Lo Fu Wat

5,400

5

7

945

Sham Wan

180,600

48

246

21,178

Tap Mun

72,400

62

157

14,608

Yim Tin Tsai

136,300

140

245

26,469

Yim Tin Tsai (E)

149,500

82

153

20,556

Yung Shue Au

342,000

84

162

39,523

 

The main species cultured in Hong Kong were the spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides), gold-lined seabream (Rhabdosargus sarba), mangrove snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus) and the pompano (Trachinotus blochii).

 

 

_________________________

(1) Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (1998)  Port Survey 1996 - 1997.

(2) ERM (1998)  Fisheries Resources and Fishing Operations in Hong Kong Waters, Final Report, for Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, March 1998.

(3) Leung A W Y (1997).  The epibenthic ichthyofauna of Tolo Harbour and Hong Kong's Northeastern waters: a long term record of change.  In: The Marine Flora and Fauna of Hong Kong and Southern China IV, Proceedings of the Eighth International Marine Biological Workshop 1995, B Morton (ed), pp. 463-487, Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong.

(4) ERM (1998).  op cit..

(5) ERM (1998)  op cit.

(6) Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (2002). Web site www.afcd.gov.hk and fax ref () in AF EA 073/01 16th September 2002.

(7) ERM (1998)  Op cit.

(8) Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (1991)  Port Survey 1989 - 1991.