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Following is a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, to a question by the Hon Albert Chan on curbing unauthorised entry of mainland fishermen into Hong Kong waters for fishing in the Legislative Council today (April 25):
Question:
At the Legislative Council meeting on June 21, 2006, I asked a question on curbing the unauthorised entry of mainland fishermen into Hong Kong waters to fish. In reply, the Administration said that it considered the existing measures adequate for safeguarding the interests of local fishermen and conserving the ecology of the local waters. However, recently I still received requests for assistance from quite a number of people, who said that during the period between December 31, 2006 and January 3, 2007, an average of 10 to 15 mainland fishing vessels were spotted making unauthorised entry into the waters off Tai A Chau and Siu A Chau each day, and a total of 140 fishing nets set up there by Cheung Chau fishermen had been torn away by such vessels. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) since July 2006, of the manning scale of Marine Police officers patrolling the waters south of Lantau, including the waters near Tai A Chau, Siu A Chau, Peng Chau and Cheung Chau;
(b) since July 2006, of the number of cases involving mainland fishing vessels suspected of making unauthorised entry into and fishing illegally in Hong Kong waters, and the respective numbers of cases in which the persons involved were prosecuted and convicted; and
(c) whether, apart from those measures mentioned in its reply to the above question, the Government will take other measures to tackle the problem of mainland fishing vessels making unauthorised entry into and fishing illegally in Hong Kong waters, so as to protect the interests of local fishermen and conserve the ecology of local waters; if so, of the details of such measures; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) Since July 2006 the waters off Lantau (covering the areas near Tai A Chau, Siu A Chau, Peng Chau and Cheung Chau) are continued to be patrolled by two major launches of the Marine Police, each manned by no less than 11 Police officers, on a 24-hour basis.
(b) At present, there are a number of legislation governing the activities of non-Hong Kong registered fishing vessels in Hong Kong waters. The main ones include the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115), Fisheries Protection Ordinance (Cap. 171), Shipping and Port Control Regulations (Cap. 313A), Marine Parks and Marine Reserves Regulation (Cap. 476A) and Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (General) Regulation (Cap. 548F).
From July 2006 up to April 16, 2007, the number of mainland fishing vessels suspected of illegally entering the territory and relevant prosecutions and convictions made according to the above legislation is set out below:
* The Marine Police, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Immigration Ordinance, refused the entry of 278 mainland fishing vessels and arrested a total of 370 mainland crewmembers. These persons were repatriated as illegal immigrants.
* The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department successfully prosecuted four cases of illegal fishing in marine parks under the Marine Parks and Marine Reserves Regulation, in which 12 mainland fishermen involved were sentenced to imprisonment from one week to six weeks.
* According to the records of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and Marine Department respectively, no mainland fishing vessel was prosecuted for carrying out in Hong Kong destructive fishing practices prohibited under the Fisheries Protection Ordinance, or for unauthorised entry into Hong Kong waters during the period.
(c) The departments concerned will further strengthen the enforcement of the various relevant legislation to prevent the unauthorised entry of fishing vessels from outside the territory for illegal fishing, and will continue to carry out joint operations to tackle the illegal activities where necessary.
In addition, the departments concerned will continue to maintain liaison and communication with the law enforcement agencies in neighbouring administrations, and seek assistance where necessary, to prevent the unauthorised entry of fishermen from outside the territory to fish in Hong Kong waters.
Ends/Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:06
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