Subsidies under the Anti-epidemic fund have been disbursed to help the fisheries industry tackle financial difficulties arising from the COVID-19 epidemic, the Fisheries & Conservation Department announced today. 

Under the fund, the Government provides subsidies to owners of fishing or fish collector vessels with Mainland deckhands and live marine fish wholesale traders operating in the wholesale fish markets of the Fish Marketing Organization.

Applications for the subsidy will be accepted until April 17.

The department said 538 applications from owners of fishing vessels have been approved involving subsidies of $82,520,000.

For live marine fish wholesale traders, 45 applications have been approved involving subsidies of $9,000,000.

It will process the remaining applications as soon as possible.

Owners of fishing or fish collector vessels who have not yet submitted applications can download the application form from the department's website.

Vessel owners who are not in Hong Kong can authorise an agent to handle their applications.