Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department explained

Agency Name:	Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
Nativename A:	漁農自然護理署
Headquarters:	5/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon
Employees:	1,830 https://web.archive.org/web/20090911161706/http://www.afcd.gov.hk:80/misc/download/annualreport2007/eng/appendix16.html
Budget:	HK$897.5m (2008-09) http://www.budget.gov.hk/2008/eng/pdf/head022.pdf
Chief1 Name:	Leung Siu-fai
Chief1 Position:	Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
Chief2 Name:	So Ping-man
Chief2 Position:	Deputy Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
Parent Agency:	Environment and Ecology Bureau
Website:	www.afcd.gov.hk

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (; formerly the Agriculture and Fisheries Department before 2000, of the Hong Kong Government is responsible for agriculture and fisheries in Hong Kong, conservation projects and issues, and managing the country parks and special areas.

It currently reports to the Environment and Ecology Bureau, though previously it was under the Secretary for Food and Health from 2007 to 2022, Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food and Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, and before 2000, the Secretary for Economic Services. The department is also responsible for issuing special, transshipment and pet import permits for pet animals, plants to be transshipped through or imported into Hong Kong.^[1]

History

The name and remit of the department was previously:

• 1946-1950 - Agriculture Department
• 1950-1960 - Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry
• 1960-1964 - Agriculture and Forestry Department
• 1964-1973 - Agriculture and Fisheries Department^[2]

Director

The department is headed by the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation (titled Director of Agriculture and Fisheries before 2000). The current director is Dr Leung Siu-fai.

List of directors

• Jack Cater (1964-1965)
• Edward Hewitt Nichols (Apr 1966 to Jan 1980)^{[3] [4]}
• Dr John Morrison Riddell-Swan (Mar 1980 to 1985 or later)^{[5] [6]}
• Lessie Wei (1997 to 2002)
• Alan Wong Chi-kong (17 Aug 2009 - 25 July 2015)^{[7] [8]}
• Dr Leung Siu-fai (July 2015 to present)^[9]

History

In January 2022, the AFCD banned the importation of hamsters after some were infected with COVID-19; in January 2023, the AFCD lifted the ban, but required that imported hamsters test negative for the virus.^[10]

See also

• Agriculture and aquaculture in Hong Kong
• Fish Marketing Organisation
• Hong Kong Herbarium

Notes and References

1. https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/quarantine/qua_ie/qua_ie_ipab/qua_ie_ipab_idc/qua_ie_ipab_idc.html afcd.gov.hk - Import of Dogs and Cats
2. https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/tb09qx61p Hong Kong. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry. Annual departmental report
3. https://search.grs.gov.hk/repository/img?ori=1&id=vTVYemQfEkI%2FcJwyndeUyg%3D%3D Director of Agriculture and Fisheries to Retire
4. https://www.histsyn.com/2023/01/cs1975.html
5. https://app.legco.gov.hk/member_front/english/library/member_detail.aspx?id=627 John Morrison RIDDELL-SWAN
6. https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/1985/ln18!zh-Hant-HK Public health notice
7. https://www.csb.gov.hk/english/info/1964.html Senior appointments
8. https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201507/20/P201507200617.htm Senior appointments
9. https://www.socsc.hku.hk/srcac/bio/2%20Leung%20Siu%20Fai/Biography_Dr%20SF%20LEUNG%20(DAFC).pdf Biography: Dr. LEUNG Siu‐fai
10. Web site: AFP . 2023-01-05 . Hong Kong to resume hamster imports a year after mass cull over links to Covid outbreak . 2023-01-06 . Hong Kong Free Press HKFP . en-GB.