Marine fishing and fish culture in Hong Kong: A note on the property rights and regulatory frameworks

Abstract

This short paper provides (a) a historical account of the evolution of the statutory regulation of marine fish marketing and marine fish culture in Hong Kong respectively under the Marine Fish (Marketing) Ordinance and the Marine Fish Culture Ordinance; (b) a synoptic account of five directions of economic theorisation between fish capture and fish culture activities as regulated by the two ordinances; (c) a comparative analysis of the two ordinances in terms of property rights concepts; and (d) some speculative thoughts about the constraints confronting government when making legislative decisions for marine fish marketing and fish culture. This historical inquiry and comparative analysis should be useful for those who are interested in the economic analysis of regulatory law in a so-called laissez-faire economy particularly in the light of China's accession to the World Trade Organisation.