CENTRAL POLICY UNIT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION FEASIBILITY STUDY OF FISHING TOURISM IN HONG KONG THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY JANUARY 2011 Final Report for the Feasibility Study of Fishing Tourism in Hong Kong Prepared by School of Hotel & Tourism Management The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Table of Contents Executive Summary......................................................................................................- 1 - 摘要 ................................................................................................................................- 5 - 1. Introduction...........................................................................................................- 9 - 1.1. Background.........................................................................................................- 9 - 1.2. Objectives .........................................................................................................- 10 - 1.3. Study Approach.................................................................................................- 10 - 1.4. Structure of the Report......................................................................................- 11 - 1.5. Defining Fishing Tourism .................................................................................- 11 - 1.6. Limitations ........................................................................................................- 12 - 2. Overview of Commercial Fishing and the Fishing Sector...............................- 13 - 2.1. The Fishery Industry.........................................................................................- 13 - 2.2. Mariculture........................................................................................................- 16 - 2.3. Fisheries Resources and Fishing Operations ....................................................- 18 - 2.3.1. Development-related impacts on fisheries................................................- 19 - 2.3.2. Fishing-related impacts on fisheries .........................................................- 19 - 2.4. Protection of the Fisheries Resource.................................................................- 20 - 2.5. Fisheries’ Support Programmes ........................................................................- 21 - 2.6. Rebuilding Hong Kong’s Marine Fisheries ......................................................- 21 - 2.7. Sustainable Fisheries.........................................................................................- 22 - 2.8. The Fishing Community, its Future and Alternative Employment Options .....- 24 - 3. The Regulatory Framework ..............................................................................- 27 - 3.1. Highlights of the Ordinance..............................................................................- 27 - 3.1.1. Certification ..............................................................................................- 27 - 3.1.2. Certificate of Ownership...........................................................................- 29 - 3.1.3. Certificate of Competency ........................................................................- 30 - 3.1.4. Passengers.................................................................................................- 31 - 3.2. Regulatory Issues related to the Development of Fishing Tourism..................- 31 - 4. Tourism in Hong Kong .......................................................................................- 33 - 4.1. Inbound Tourism to Hong Kong .......................................................................- 33 - 4.2. Importance of Tourism......................................................................................- 33 - 4.3. Visitor Profile....................................................................................................- 33 - 4.4. Vacation Overnight Visitors..............................................................................- 34 - 4.5. Northeast New Territories.................................................................................- 44 - 4.6. Fishing Tourism in Hong Kong ........................................................................- 45 - 4.7. Challenges in Promoting Water-based Tourism in Hong Kong........................- 47 - 5. Leisure Fishing and Water-based Recreational Activities ..............................- 49 - 5.1. Leisure in Hong Kong.......................................................................................- 49 - 5.2. Overall Leisure Participation ............................................................................- 49 - 5.3. Outdoor Recreation – Land-based ....................................................................- 50 - 5.3.1. Country Parks............................................................................................- 51 - - i - 5.4. Outdoor Recreation - Water-based....................................................................- 52 - 5.4.1. Weekend Sightseeing Cruises ...................................................................- 52 - 5.4.2. Charter Boats and Junk Trips....................................................................- 53 - 5.4.3. Diving .......................................................................................................- 54 - 5.4.4. Deep Water Fishing...................................................................................- 54 - 5.4.5. Other – Mariculture Recreation ................................................................- 55 - 5.5. Conclusion ........................................................................................................- 56 - 6. From Fishing to Water-based Tourism .............................................................- 57 - 6.1. Sai Kung: A Fishery in Transition.....................................................................- 57 - 6.2. Northeast New Territories: High Potential but Many Challenges ....................- 58 - 6.3. Hong Kong National Geopark: High Ecotourism Potential .............................- 59 - 6.3.1. Marine Based Guided Tour Pilot Project ..................................................- 60 - 6.4. Recreational Fishing on Mariculture Rafts: Specialist recreation opportunities - 62 - 6.5. Lamma Island: The Building of Fishing Heritage Attractions.........................- 63 - 6.6. Cheung Chau – Celebrating Traditional Fishing Culture .................................- 65 - 6.7. Tai ‘O: New Employment Opportunities in Ecotourism ..................................- 66 - 7. Issues and Opportunities....................................................................................- 68 - 7.1. Policy and Regulation.......................................................................................- 68 - 7.2. Resource Management......................................................................................- 71 - 7.3. Product ..............................................................................................................- 72 - 7.3.1. Water-based Tourism as a Niche Product .................................................- 73 - 7.3.2. New Product Development.......................................................................- 74 - 7.4. Marketing..........................................................................................................- 75 - 7.5. Financial Considerations...................................................................................- 77 - 7.6. Human Capital and Capacity Building .............................................................- 78 - 7.6.1. Leadership.................................................................................................- 78 - 7.6.2. Fishers.......................................................................................................- 79 - 7.7. Summary...........................................................................................................- 80 - Bibliography................................................................................................................- 81 - Glossary of Terms .......................................................................................................- 87 - Appendix B: Information Note on Fishing Moratorium in the South China Sea.- 96 - Appendix C: Artificial Reef Deployment in Outer Long Harbour and East Tap Mun .........................................................................................................................- 101 - Appendix D: Rebuilding Hong Kong Marine Fisheries..........................................- 124 - Appendix E: Application Notes for the Consent of Recreational Angling on Mariculture Rafts and the Code of Practice...............................................- 130 - Figure 2.1: Fishers population 1970-2009.................................................................- 14 - Figure 2.2: Registered fishing vessels 1970-2009......................................................- 14 - Figure 2.3: Registered mariculturists 1990-2009 .....................................................- 15 - - ii - Map 2.1: Distribution of homeports in 2006 ............................................................- 16 - Map 2.2: Fish culture zones .......................................................................................- 17 - Table 4.1: Profile of Visitors to Hong Kong..............................................................- 36 - Table 4.2: Profile