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In common with many other major world cities, Hong Kong's agriculture and fisheries natural capital stock does not fully support the local demand for fresh foodstuffs, and alternatives have already been sourced to meet demand. As such, there is no particular critical threshold of local production which can be used as a sustainability benchmark. While maintaining and improving local food production provides a measure of self-sufficiency, it is unrealistic to expect that Hong Kong, in line with many other major world cities, can rely solely on its own internal resources for its food supply needs. Instead, it is more useful to consider both agricultural and fisheries resources in terms of maximising the potential value of these resources in all senses of the natural capital stock.
Identifying the appropriate balance between local agriculture and fisheries production versus competing alternatives (eg conversion of all agricultural land to development, or diversion of funds for fisheries management to incentives for the mariculture industry), it is important to assess the value of the production itself as well as the associated benefits. For agricultural resources, these include ecological values such as habitat for water birds, landscape values such as open space and aesthetic variety, and the heritage value of preserving traditional activities including, in some cases, historical structures or sites. The associated benefits of enhancing fisheries resources would include ecological benefits to non-commercial fish species, marine mammals and other marine organisms, as well as the scientific value of re-establishing species that are now rare in Hong Kong and the recreational values (including tourism) associated with improved angling and diving opportunities.
It is also important to acknowledge that the agriculture and fisheries industries produce unwanted byproducts, such as pesticide residues, nutrient enrichment around fish culture zones, and seabed disturbance from trawling. These detrimental environmental effects should be balanced against the ancillary benefits described above in order to determine the appropriate controls and incentives for these industries.
Whether Hong Kong's food resources are produced locally or imported from the immediate hinterland or farther abroad, the quality of the supply must be ensured through regulation, inspection and testing and perhaps greater labelling of products. Applying the sustainability concept beyond the immediate environs of Hong Kong could entail greater attention to sources of food supplied and whether these producers are operating under standards applicable in Hong Kong. Where this is not the case, for example many vendors in the live fish trade, policy or public education initiatives could be used to encourage changes in supply practices.
The HKSAR Government is already taking several steps to enhance agricultural products and fisheries resources. Agricultural initiatives include the implementation of the Accredited Vegetable Farm Scheme to encourage the raising of standards in vegetable farming, encouragement of improved hygiene standards in markets through better facilities and tenancy requirements, and plans to launch training sessions for farmers on the proper use of pesticides. These measures, while arguably not directly associated with Hong Kong's agricultural resources natural capital stock, do address the articulated policy objective of ensuring the provision of fresh high quality food produce to meet the needs of Hong Kong.
In the marine environment initiatives include designation of additional marine parks/reserves, deployment of artificial reefs both within and outside of marine parks, and development of a fisheries management programme based initially on a licensing system. Provided the appropriate powers and resources are vested in the management organisations responsible for these programmes, and that effective management and control measures are implemented, improvements in the fisheries resources natural capital stock will be realised.
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