Globally, the pearl industry is worth 903 million USD, while the bivalves industry was estimated to be worth 26 billion USD. In fact, these numbers may not reflect other revenue created from secondary activities like the production of oyster sauce. There are many jobs which can be created from the industry, from people farming the oysters to those who may be required in processing them. In Laufashan, seafood restaurants can also earn money from tourists and locals who dine in.
全球而言，珍珠產業價值903百萬美金，双壳类產業則價值260億美金。事實上，這些數字有可能還未加入來自其他次要活動如蠔油生產的收入。這產業也能創造出許許多多不同的工作崗位，從養殖蠔的蠔民到加工處理蠔的工作人員。位於流浮山的海鮮酒樓也能賺那些在酒樓裡用餐的旅客和當地人的錢。
The 1980s was widely regarded as the “Golden Age” for the local industry, according to local oyster farmer Chan Kam To. However, oyster sales have since declined. due to the wider variety of seafood that consumers have access to, leading them to choose imported oysters instead of local ones. Instead,more oysters from Hong Kong are now being sold to China.
根據本地蠔民陳錦道，他說1980年代可是被大家普遍認為是本地養蠔業的“黃金時期”。但是蠔的銷售量自從那時候開始下降。這是因為消費者可接觸到更多種類的海產品，所以他們就寧願選擇進口生蠔也不願選擇本地生蠔。反之，香港的蠔更多是出售到中國大陸去。
Today, Hong Kong is the world’s largest importer of both pearls and oysters in the world while not exporting as much. The oyster industry declared an annual value of 15 million HKD, out of the 127 million marine fish culture, pond fish culture and oyster culture industry (11.8%). While there was an attempt to grow a pearl industry in Hong Kong in the 60s, there is just one pearl farm left.
現在香港是全世界最大規模的珍珠和蠔的進口地，但其出口量卻沒有那麼多。在總值12.7億的海水魚養殖業、池塘魚養殖業以及養蠔業，養蠔業就佔了11.8%，宣布其年產值15百萬。雖然60年代的香港有個發展珍珠產業的嘗試，但最後也只不過剩下一間珍珠養殖場。
Covid-19 has also significantly affected the oyster industry, as restaurants feel reluctant to place orders for oysters, as covid protocols have caused many clients to change their business model, therefore greatly decreasing oyster farmers’ incomes.
2019年冠狀病毒病也明顯地影響了養蠔業——酒樓都不情願下訂單訂購蠔，然後針對冠狀病毒病的政策也迫使許多訂購蠔的客戶把他們的生意轉型，所以大大減少了蠔民的收入。
Is there potential to generate more income for those who are in the oyster and pearl industry in Hong Kong?
我們是否還能為香港的養蠔業及珍珠產業的人們製造更多的收入嗎？
References:
- https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/fish_aqu/fish_aqu_mpo/fish_aqu_mpo.html
- https://oec.world/en/profile/hs92/pearls
- Wijsman J.W.M., Troost K., Fang J., Roncarati A. (2019) Global Production of Marine Bivalves. Trends and Challenges. In: Smaal A., Ferreira J., Grant J., Petersen J., Strand Ø. (eds) Goods and Services of Marine Bivalves. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96776-9_2