Support for SMEs

• To provide loans to capture fishermen and owners of fish collectors for switching to more sustainable fisheries operations and other fisheries-related operations, and for carrying out projects that will reduce fuel consumption or carbon footprint of their operations (without increasing fishing effort); and
• To provide loans to fish farmers to help them develop aquaculture or improve their aquaculture businesses leading to more environmentally friendly operations or an improvement of the quality and food safety standards of the aquaculture products.

Since the new scheme of the Fisheries Development Loan Fund was approved by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council in 2012, 127 one-off loans for vessel owners affected by the trawl ban and 12 normal loans have been approved. Among the 12 normal loans, one was for upgrading the fishing vessel to reduce fuel consumption, and one was for aquaculture development. Ten loans were for switching to more sustainable fishing operations, mainly from trawling to non-trawling fishing operations like gill netting, purse seining, cast netting and long lining. Please click in for a view of some of loan project fishing vessels.

• Applicants for loans to capture fishermen and fish collector owners must be Hong Kong residents and local fishing vessel or fish collector owners, holding valid licences necessary for their operations, such as Vessel Operating Licence and Certificate of Ownership of a Class III vessel issued by the Marine Department; or locally registered fisheries co operative societies/ companies, the majority of their members/ shareholders are local capture fishermen fulfilling the afore-mentioned criteria; and
• Applicants for loans to aquaculture operators must be Hong Kong residents, holding valid licences necessary for operating their aquaculture businesses, such as Marine Fish Culture Licence issued by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD); or locally registered fisheries co operative societies/ companies, the majority of their members/ shareholders are local aquaculture operators fulfilling the afore-mentioned criteria.

Subject to the applicant –

1. submitting an application including a proposed loan amount which is supported by the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation;
2. being able to contribute from his own resources an amount acceptable to the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, such amount being not less than 10% of the total cost of the project for which the loan is required; and
3. agreeing to the terms under which the loan is issued.

Fisheries Development Loan Fund is open for application all year round. 

Applicants can submit the completed application form together with the required supporting documents through -
(i) in person or by post to:
Fisheries Credit Section
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
8/F, Room 825, Cheung Sha Wan Government Office
303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon
(ii) Fax to*: (852) 2314 2866
(iii) E-mail to*: fishloans@afcd.gov.hk

*If an application is submitted by fax or e-mail, the applicant will be required to attend an interview conducted by AFCD. The applicant has to provide copies of the documents required together with the original documents for verification by AFCD. The applicant will be requested to sign the submitted application form, declaring all the submitted information is true and correct.