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Minutes of the 3rd Meeting in 2018 of the Agriculture, Fisheries, Commerce, Industries, Tourism and Recreation Affairs Committee of Tai Po District Council Date: 11 May 2018 (Friday) Time: 9:35 a.m. – 11:36 a.m. Venue: Conference Room, Tai Po District Council (“TPDC”) Present Time of Arrival Time of Withdrawal Chairman Mr. YU Chi-wing, Ken Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Vice-chairman Mr. LI Kwok-ying, BBS, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Members Mr. AU Chun-wah 10:23 a.m. End of the meeting Mr. CHAN Cho-leung, MH Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. CHAN Siu-kuen, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai 9:38 a.m. End of the meeting Mr. KWAN Wing-yip 10:02 a.m. End of the meeting Mr. LAU Yung-wai Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. LI Wah-kwong, Rex Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. LO Hiu-fung 10:17 a.m. End of the meeting Mr. TAM Wing-fun, Eric, MH Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. TANG Ming-tai, Patrick Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Ms. WONG Pik-kiu, BBS, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. WOO Kin-man, Clement Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. YAM Kai-bong, Francis Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. YAM Man-chuen 9:38 a.m. End of the meeting Co-opted Members Mr. LAM B Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. LO Chi-ping Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. MO Ka-hung, Joseph Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Secretary - 2 - Ms. LIU Ka-man, Mandy Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Executive Officer (District Council) 2 / Tai Po District Office (“TPDO”) / Home Affairs Department (“HAD”) In attendance Mr. CHAN Lap-wai Senior Assistant Shipping Master / North / Marine Department (“MD”) Mr. CHAN Yiu-wa, Andrew Chief Health Inspector 1 / Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (“FEHD”) Mr. HUNG Sze-sik Deputy District Leisure Manager (Tai Po) 1 / Leisure and Cultural Services Department (“LCSD”) Ms. LUI Lok-sze Deputy District Leisure Manager (District Support) (Tai Po) / LCSD Mr. NG Chi-keung, Barry Senior Librarian (Tai Po) / LCSD Mr. LEUNG Cheuk-ming, Rico Senior Manager (New Territories East) Promotion / LCSD Mr. WU Tip-ming, Wilson Senior Field Officer (Agricultural Extension) / Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (“AFCD”) Ms. TSOI Wing-yan, Connie Fisheries Officer (Aquaculture Management) 2 / AFCD Mr. LEE Yu-sau, Terence Senior Executive Officer (District Council) / TPDO / HAD Mr. CHAN Hoi-ming, Peter Senior Liaison Officer (1) / TPDO / HAD Ms. TSE Ka-ying, Kimmy Liaison Officer (1A) / TPDO / HAD Mr. NG Chi-kin, Eric Executive Officer (District Council) 4 / TPDO / HAD Applicant for absence Dr. LAU Chee-sing Member Opening Remarks The Chairman welcomed participants to the meeting and announced the following: (i) Mr. WU Tip-ming, Wilson, Senior Field Officer (Agricultural Extension) of the AFCD attended the meeting on behalf of Ms. WOO On-ting, Amy. (ii) Mr. HUNG Sze-sik, Deputy District Leisure Manager (Tai Po) 1 of the LCSD succeeded Ms. NG Wing-yin to attend the meetings from now on. - 3 - (iii) Ms. LUI Lok-sze, Deputy District Leisure Manager (District Support) (Tai Po) of the LCSD accompanied Mr. HUNG Sze-sik to attend the meeting. (iv) Dr. LAU Chee-sing was unable to attend this meeting due to other commitments. He had submitted his notice of absence to the Secretariat. Pursuant to Order 51(1) of the TPDC Standing Orders, the District Council (“DC”) would only give consent to a DC Member’s application for absence from meeting filed on grounds of sickness, jury service, attendance at another meeting or activity on behalf of the DC, attendance at a Legislative Council or Executive Council meeting, confinement or paternity leave. Pursuant to the above requirements, his application was not approved. I. Confirmation of the minutes of the 2nd meeting in 2018 of the ATRC on 9 March 2018 (TPDC Paper No. ATR 24/2018) 2. The Chairman reported that the Secretariat had not received any proposed amendments, and as no Members proposed any amendments at the meeting, the minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed. II. Report on the assistance provided for the agricultural industry by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and matters concerning the mariculture industry in March and April 2018 (TPDC Paper No. ATR 25/2018) (1) Assistance provided for the agricultural industry by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department 3. Mr. Wilson WU introduced Appendix I to the captioned paper and reported as follows: (i) Between March and April 2018, the AFCD had provided free farm machinery lending services, included lending of weed burners and brush cutters for 50 times, cultivator tillers for 77 times, and other services such as spraying of fertilisers or pesticides on plants and pest control for 46 times. The department did not hold any technical seminars at Tai Lung Experimental Farm or agricultural area during the above period. (ii) The Local Organic Watermelon Festival would be held at Tai Po Farmers’ Market from 30 June to 2 July 2018. - 4 - 4. Members did not have any comments or questions. (2) Matters concerning the mariculture industry 5. Ms. TSOI Wing-yan, Connie introduced Appendix II to the captioned paper and reported as follows: (i) Between March and April 2018, the AFCD had inspected a total of 28 fish culture zones (“FCZs”) where 14 of which were located in Tai Po District. (ii) The AFCD received one fish disease report from Yim Tin Tsai FCZ in Tai Po District during the above period, and the species affected was Pompano. The department conducted on-site investigation and took samples for testing on 15 March 2018. The test discovered cankers, missing of one eyeball, and issues such as the presence of a great amount of gas bubbles in the fish grills in the samples. The bacteria had been isolated and identified as Vibrio alginolyticus. The test showed that the fish in the FCZ suffered from gas bubble disease and were infected with Vibrio alginolyticus. The condition of the FCZ concerned had improved after the AFCD suggested the fish farmers concerned how to deal with the situation and improve the mariculture environment. (iii) The AFCD received three red tide reports in the waters of Tai Po District during the above period. The first red tide was discovered in Shuen Wan Typhoon Shelter on 20 March 2018, and was formed by the common and non-toxic Noctiluca scintillans. The second red tide was discovered in Tolo Harbour, including Yim Tin Tsai, Yim Tin Tsai East and Lo Fu Wat FCZs on 17 April 2018, and was formed by the uncommon and non-toxic Takayama tuberculata. The third red tide was discovered in Tolo Harbour, including Yim Tin Tsai FCZ, on 24 April 2018, and was formed by the uncommon and non-toxic Takayama tuberculata and the common and non-toxic Scrippsiella trochoidea. The department had reminded the fish farmers concerned to pay attention to the condition of the fish rafts and pump in oxygen in a timely manner. No relevant fish death report was received by the department during the period. (iv) There were a total of 120 accredited fish farms in Hong Kong at present, where 32 of them were located in Tai Po District. As at March 2018, the total sales volume of quality fish products had exceeded 476 000 catties and the sales volume of that in March was approximately 6 000 catties. 6. Mr. TANG Ming-tai, Patrick enquired what the AFCD would suggest so as to improve the water quality of Yim Tin Tsai West as regards the afore-mentioned fish diseases. - 5 - 7. Ms. TSOI said that after carrying out tests on water quality and bacteria, the department found out that the fish suffered from gas bubble disease and were infected with Vibrio alginolyticus while the water quality of the FCZ was normal. The gas bubble disease was caused by rapid and excessive pumping of air into the FCZ by fish farmers, which led to an imbalance between the amount of dissolved oxygen and nitrogen in the water. As a result, gas bubbles entered the tissue of the fish and caused the disease. The department had suggested the fish farmers concerned increase the aeration, so as to remove the saturated gas from the water body, foster biodegradation, and restrain the growth of pathogenic bacteria. (Post-meeting note: Fish suffering from the disease would have lower immunity and therefore be infected by pathogenic bacteria easily. The department had also suggested the fish farmers adopt Good Aquaculture Practices so as to reduce the likelihood of the disease.) III. Report on the quantity of refuse collected from the Tolo Harbour in March and April 2018 by the Marine Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (TPDC Papers No. ATR 26/2018 and ATR 27/2018) 8. Mr. CHAN Lap-wai reported that the MD collected 14.7 tonnes and 15.2 tonnes of floating refuse in the inner waters of Tai Po District in March and April 2018 respectively. 9. Mr. CHAN Yiu-wa, Andrew reported that the FEHD collected 4.65 tonnes and 4.83 tonnes of coastal refuse at Tolo Harbour in March and April 2018 respectively. 10. Ms. WONG Pik-kiu expressed concern over the environmental hygiene of Lam Tsuen River. She commented that Lam Tsuen River ran through Mui Shue Hang towards Wang Fuk Court, and one of the sources of floating refuse in Lam Tsuen River was the numerous vessels parked in the river (especially under Kwong Fuk Bridge).

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