To safeguard food safety, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and Hong Kong Customs launched joint blitz operations from October 29 to inspect selling points of hairy crabs in various districts and combat the illegal sale of hairy crabs, with a view to ensuring that hairy crabs on sale in the market comply with relevant requirements under the laws.

     A spokesman for the FEHD said today (November 14), "During the operations, officers from the Centre for Food Safety and the Environmental Hygiene Branch of the FEHD and Customs officers have inspected more than 50 premises selling hairy crabs, including food premises and public market stalls. The source documents and health certificates of the hairy crabs were checked to ensure that the hairy crabs sold at the premises are in compliance with the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) as well as the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) (Cap. 362) and are fit for human consumption. The FEHD and Customs officers also distributed promotional leaflets to the operators of the premises, reminding them to pay attention to food safety and comply with relevant requirements under the laws. During the operations, no contravention was found."

     Under the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X), save with the written permission of the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (DFEH), no person shall sell any restricted foods, including shellfish. Operators selling hairy crabs (including physical premises and online sales) shall obtain the Shell Fish (Hairy Crab) Permit or relevant written permission granted by the FEHD. Furthermore, the relevant regulatory condition also stipulates that hairy crabs for sale shall be obtained from a reliable and reputable source. A copy of the health certificate issued by the relevant authority and acceptable to the DFEH shall also be kept. Under the Regulation, any person who operates an unlicensed food business or sells restricted foods without permission commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

     In addition, according to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), all food available for sale in Hong Kong, locally produced or imported, should be fit for human consumption. An offender in this regard is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction. Under the Food Safety Ordinance (Cap. 612), any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with the record-keeping requirement relating to movement of food commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for three months upon conviction.

     Customs reminds traders not to apply a false trade description to goods or services, or to supply or offer to supply goods or services to which a false trade description is applied. Those who violate the TDO are liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years. Customs also attaches great importance to the protection of consumer rights and will take appropriate enforcement action once activities in violation of the TDO are detected in the market. 

     The FEHD and Customs remind the trade not to import or put on sale hairy crabs with an unknown origin, and consumers should make purchases at reputable shops with the Shell Fish (Hairy Crab) Permit or relevant written permission granted by the FEHD.

     If members of the public suspect that there are operators selling hairy crabs without the relevant permits/permissions or the hairy crabs are not accompanied with health certificates, they may make a report by calling the FEHD hotline at 2868 0000 or through email (enquiries@fehd.gov.hk).

     In addition, members of the public may make a report to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/) if they suspect that hairy crabs bought are of a falsely claimed place of origin.

  

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (November 14) that Silver Mine Bay Beach in Islands District is temporarily closed until further notice for maintenance of the shark prevention net. The red flag has been hoisted at the beach. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, through videoconferencing at the 2024 Greater Bay Maritime Development Conference today (November 14):
 
Vice-Chairman Leung (Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Mr C Y Leung), Director-General Wang (Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Director-General of Qianhai Authority, Mr Wang Shourui), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
      
     It gives me great pleasure to join you this morning at the 2024 Greater Bay Maritime Development Conference. The two-day event gathers here stakeholders and experts from the maritime sector to exchange ideas and knowledge, and to build new networks and relationships, which I believe would provide an excellent platform to ignite inspiration and discussion over various key maritime topics.
           
     This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The Outline Development Plan explicitly emphasises the importance of enhancing the overall competitiveness of the Pearl River Delta port cluster. The National 14th Five-Year Plan also indicates clear support for Hong Kong's development into an international shipping hub.   
      
     Hong Kong has been fostering the development of our maritime industry. As a "super-connector", we have been consolidating our position as an international maritime centre. At the same time, with the strong support from the Central Government, Hong Kong continues to offer to the GBA our traditional advantages as a free port with high efficiency and international connectivity. Through the close collaboration with the Mainland, we continue to contribute to the strategic development framework of our country. 
      
     For instance, the collaboration efforts, which resulted in the commencement of the Chongqing-Shenzhen Rail-Sea Express Service in August 2024 this year, has reduced the transit time between Chongqing and Yantian Port from five days to just two, and enables cargoes from the Chengdu-Chongqing area to reach Hong Kong within just three days. It is expected that this newly launched freight train model will significantly expand the cargo reach of both Hong Kong and Yantian Port, boosting their cargo volumes. It also facilitates the development of Chongqing as a "sea-rail logistics hub" in the region, allowing the GBA to better serve our country's need. Moreover, terminal operators in Hong Kong are actively engaging in various initiatives on the further development of the port hinterland, for example through developing the intermodal transport connection with ports in other cities in the GBA, with a view to attracting more cargo sources to Hong Kong and enhancing Hong Kong's attractiveness as a cargo consolidation and transshipment hub, as well as bolstering the overall throughput of the port. The Government will continue to strengthen co-operation with the western part of Guangdong and other neighbouring areas, and make good use of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to expand the catchment area of our cargo services.
      
     Leveraging our unique institutional strengths including our common law system, simple and low tax regime, and free flow of information and capital, Hong Kong has developed a vibrant maritime cluster of over 1 100 port and maritime-related companies, providing a great variety of quality maritime services, ranging from ship owning, ship agency and management, ship broking, marine insurance, maritime legal and arbitration services, to marine surveying and classification societies. Hong Kong always stands ready to provide quality services to shipping companies of the Mainland and serve as the springboard to the international community.
      
     In addition, the Hong Kong Shipping Registry is widely recognised internationally. We are the fourth largest globally in terms of gross tonnage and is renowned for its quality and excellence with a low Port State Control detention rate of 0.81 per cent as compared with the world average of 3.39 per cent in 2023. Shipping companies from the Mainland have been very supportive to our shipping registry. In 2023, Chinese shipping companies have been the shipowners with the highest gross tonnage in our shipping registry as well as recipients of awards for outstanding performance in Port State Control. We are proud to serve our Mainland counterparts and will continue to enrich our support services for them.
      
     In the Policy Address published last month, our Chief Executive announced a series of new initiatives to bolster Hong Kong's strengths as an international maritime centre. These include: reconstituting the existing advisory body into a high-level Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board for deepened participation by the trade with enhanced research, promotion and talent nurturing capabilities, promoting development of high-value added maritime services, advancing development of a green maritime centre, and creating a commodity trading ecosystem, among others. Hong Kong will continue to actively engage with other GBA cities to look for opportunities for collaboration and complement one another strengths to enhance the competitiveness of the GBA ports as a whole in order to achieve win-win co-operation for all. 
      
     In just a moment, the Transport and Logistics Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the Shenzhen Municipal Transport Bureau and the Shenzhen Qianhai Authority will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on maritime co-operation. This is the second government-to-government Memorandum of Understanding signed by Hong Kong at the GBA Conference, further to the one with Guangdong Port Authority signed in 2023. I am glad that Hong Kong and our counterparts in the GBA have a shared vision of creating mutual benefits through better co-ordination and collaboration regarding the development of the maritime industries and manpower training, among others. I believe the constructive efforts from all sides will be conducive to enhancing the influence of the GBA port cluster towards the world.
           
     Ladies and gentlemen, while the global maritime industry experiences its ebb and flow, I am confident that by working together, we can ride the tide ahead. I wish you all a successful and fruitful Conference, and let us keep this positive momentum going. Thank you.

  

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Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (November 14) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Deep Water Bay Beach, Repulse Bay Beach, Middle Bay Beach, Stanley Main Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

Police today (November 14) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Tsuen Wan.

Cheung Ming, aged 89, went missing after he left his caring home on San Tsuen Street yesterday (November 13) morning. Staff of the caring home then made a report to Police.
         
He is 1.67 metres tall, 49 kilograms in weight and of thin build. He has a square face with yellow complexion and short grey and white hair. He was last seen wearing a long-sleeves checkered shirt, grey trousers, black shoes and carrying a black umbrella.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1176 or 5239 7701, or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.