HK fishermen hit by surging fuel costs, but fish supply seen stable
發佈日期: 2026-04-09 20:04
TVB News
Hong Kong's fishing industry says doubled fuel costs in recent days have forced many fishing vessels to stay ashore as expenses soar.
Yet, traders say fish supply in the market is expected to remain stable.
Feeling the heat from the spike in oil prices are the city's fishing fleets with burgeoned costs and squeezed margins.
Fuel expenses for a single fishing trip have jumped from around 4,700 dollars at the start of the year to more than 10,000 dollars.
Fishing sector veteran Lee Choi-wah who has worked in the trade for over half a century, described the situation as "staggering."
He says if the catch isn't worth at least ten thousand dollars, they are making a loss.
After the war erupted which ramped up oil prices, many fishing fleets have scaled back -- or even halted sailings before the fishing moratorium -- also known as the summer fishing ban in May.
Now, some 70 percent of fishing vessels have grounded operations.
Despite the disruption, Lee believes Hong Kong is unlikely to face a fish shortage in the short term.
He says local aquaculture and imports from the mainland, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Pakistan will make up for the shortfall.
Authorities have introduced short-term relief measures including fee waivers by mainland fishing associations and early applications for government loans tied to the fishing moratorium.
But lawmakers say more support is necessary.
Fisheries and agricultural sector lawmaker Chan Pok-chi says these measures may offer short-term relief but a "reasonable mechanism" should be in place to ease the deepening financial strain.
He suggested fuel subsidies to offset surging costs and support to help fishermen's transition to electric fishing vessels.
