Fish prices are set to rise by 20 to 30 per cent after a summer fishing ban imposed by the central Government on the South China Sea.
Importers who rely on trawling and drift-net catches say they will be forced to fly in fish from Indonesian, Vietnamese and Malaysian waters.
'It mainly affects trawling and drift-net fishing,' said Patrick Chan Siu-wah of the Seafood Merchants' Chamber, adding that sweet lip, sea bream, whiting and snapper were the most likely to increase in price.
'There is a chance for us to make more money - perhaps 20 to 30 per cent more,' he said.
It is hoped the ban, similar to one imposed two years ago on the eastern waters of China, would see the over-fished South China Sea recover its stocks.
'The results have been positive, the yearly catch improved after implementation, and the fish came back,' Mr Chan said The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has backed the ban.
