Turning trawlers into marine tour boats requires extensive modifications
Boats will need large modifications under a plan for fishermen to take groups on marine trips
As fishermen grapple with the trawling ban, one idea being considered is altering the boats so they can accommodate small tour groups seeking a close-up view of how seafood makes it onto our tables every day.
Fishermen could also take passengers to outlying islands for eco-tours.
A pilot scheme on selected trawlers is under way, with students and the elderly joining the tour, and many of the responses have been encouraging. Mixed use is seen as a way out for fishermen who are not properly equipped for, or familiar with, working in mainland or open waters.
But fishermen considering making the switch said there were legal obstacles.
"Many people were curious about life on a fishing boat. But marine officials say there is no policy for a single vessel having two [fishing and passenger] licences," fisherman Keung Pak-ho said.
The Marine Department has separate classifications for fishing, passenger and leisure vessels. Using a fishing boat for an unrelated purpose such as carrying a passenger can be punishable by a fine.
Officials told the owners they had to modify their boats to meet legal requirements, but the modifications would be expensive and change the vessel so much it would no longer resemble a fishing boat.