We had to meet at 1:00 am to witness the fish harvest by fish farmers, follow its delivery to the wholesale market and observe the hauling and dealing of the fish produce till 4:30 am. Despite the deprivation of sleep, we all agreed the visit was an eye-opening experience. Our mouths were also widely open when we were fed piping-hot congee made with the catch of the morning at a dai pai dong specially opened for us at 5 am. We disassembled at 5:30 am with some of us going home to catch a few hours sleep before attending the "Make a Difference" District Sports Day later in the morning. This tour would be repeated for a second group of Rotarians and family members on 26 February 2006.

Special thanks to Dr Lew Young, Reserve Manager, Mr Tobi Lau, Reserve Officer, Ms Polly Chik, Assistant Reserve Officer, of WWF Hong Kong Mai Po Nature Reserve and Mr Lai, a veteran fish farmer and our guide, for the special tour. Mr Lai had gone to the dai pai dong to make special arrangement for our congee breakfast as we were warming our bodies with dim sum and warm drinks before our tour of the wholesale market.

Program details.

Big fish in a small pond?

Fish farmers are adept in catching the fish by hand, sorting and throwing them into containers for different fish.

Observers are both cheerful and solemn on this cold early morning.

Cable TV finds the tour newsworthy and interviews many of us and Mr Lai for a news special!

At a warm tea break in Yuen Long before heading to the Pond Fish Wholesale Market.

We are presented the Adopt A Green Fish Farm banner from WWF Hong Kong.

Here's the market from a distance. Looks deserted until...

... we come close and see the hauling, weighing, dealing in lively action.

Who's got the biggest catch of the day?

Yummy fish congee to start, or end, our day.


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