First conviction of extracting seawater from prohibited area for keeping live fish

A man who extracted seawater from the Tuen Mun seashore, a prohibited area, for keeping live fish intended for human consumption, was today (April 13) fined $3,000 in the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts.

This is the first convicted case of breaching section 10AB of the Food Business Regulation (Chapter 132X) since it has come into effect on August 1, 2010.

The 54-year-old man was arrested by officers of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) on January 13 at a fish stall in Hung Hom Market, Kowloon.

"To protect public health, the Food Business Regulation specifies that no person should extract, supply, deliver and use seawater from a prohibited area for keeping, in the course of food business, any live fish or shellfish that is intended for human consumption," an FEHD spokesman said.

Offenders will be liable to a maximum fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment.

The prohibited areas include Victoria Harbour, 14 typhoon shelters, areas along the shoreline of Hong Kong Island (including Ap Lei Chau) and along the western shoreline of the New Territories (including Tsing Yi).

Ends/Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:45