香港最大規(guī)模、市場占有率一度達(dá)七成的香港仔魚市場，是香港仔的重要地標(biāo)，也是政府推展“躍動港島南”計劃重點活化的項目。然而，香港仔魚市場長期被惡勢力操控，缺少公平競爭的環(huán)境，既影響欄商收入，也損害消費者利益。競爭事務(wù)委員會和警務(wù)處等六大部門早前聯(lián)手到魚市場調(diào)查，目前已取得重大進(jìn)展。市民期待有關(guān)部門有法必依，重槌出擊，還市場以公平競爭的環(huán)境，還消費者以公道。香港良政善治不會一夜間實現(xiàn)，從民生著手、從關(guān)心市民的菜籃子開始，是正確的方向。

　　大公報記者多月來深入香港仔魚市場，調(diào)查香港仔魚市場“地下運作”，發(fā)現(xiàn)其違反競爭條例的兩大主要手段。

　　首先是壟斷海產(chǎn)售價。譬如規(guī)定“沙巴躉”一律65元1斤，稱其為“公價”。然而，在長沙灣等其他魚市場，并沒有所謂“公價”之說。事實上，同樣的水產(chǎn)，因為來源地點不同、質(zhì)量不同、季節(jié)不同，來貨成本都不一樣；再說欄商所處位置有異，營銷策略也不盡相同，這些都會影響售價，這正是市場競爭的應(yīng)有之義。所謂魚市場有“公價”這一說，本身就有合謀定價的嫌疑，違反公平競爭大原則。

　　其次是壟斷供貨渠道。每日凌晨3點至4點，及傍晚4點至6點，運輸海產(chǎn)的貨車抵達(dá)魚市場后，整齊排列，有人手持列表單，有人守在貨車尾板處，魚欄員工依次取貨時，有人根據(jù)貨品種類記錄。雖然現(xiàn)場沒有任何收錢動作，但在此經(jīng)營的欄商指出，其后會有人按取貨紀(jì)錄收錢，每月還根據(jù)每檔生意額抽傭一成。如此一來，不費吹灰之力，每月光靠收“陀地”就有數(shù)百萬元進(jìn)賬。

　　香港仔魚市場每年有約10億元生意額，因此引起惡勢力的垂涎。十多年前，已有惡勢力染指魚市場，通過控制供貨渠道來非法抽傭，最初是控制沙蜆，接著是鮑魚、元貝、象拔蚌等海產(chǎn)，最后是魚類，惡勢力已滲透魚市場每個角落。譬如鮑魚來貨價80元一斤，經(jīng)惡勢力批發(fā)價變成90至100元一斤。有欄商不愿就范，通過其他渠道取貨，結(jié)果遭到報復(fù)，不是海產(chǎn)被扔到海里，就是海產(chǎn)莫名死亡。欄商無力反抗，惡勢力的手伸得越來越長，市場壟斷問題愈演愈烈。

　　凡是“三不管”的地方，必定會成為罪惡的淵藪。香港仔魚市場暗湧處處，問題多年累積，越來越嚴(yán)重。惡勢力壟斷市場是對法治的公然挑戰(zhàn)，如果政府不加以整治，不僅民生受影響，也會損害香港自由市場的聲譽。令人欣慰的是，被盤剝的商戶不再啞忍，早前已向競爭事務(wù)委員會舉報；競爭事務(wù)委員會早前聯(lián)合警方等六大部門，浩浩蕩蕩進(jìn)入魚市場調(diào)查。競委會日前答復(fù)大公報記者查詢時表示，個案已提升至調(diào)查階段，現(xiàn)階段不會評論。我們希望有關(guān)部門搜集到足夠證據(jù)后，果斷行動，嚴(yán)格執(zhí)法。

　　魚市場有惡勢力盤踞不是新問題，或許有些人司空見慣，習(xí)非成是。然而，在“愛國者治港”的新時代，政治領(lǐng)域已經(jīng)撥亂反正，社會基本上恢復(fù)安寧，在經(jīng)濟(jì)和民生領(lǐng)域一樣要正本清源，將惡勢力連根拔起。根據(jù)“躍動港島南”繪就的藍(lán)圖，香港仔魚市場將成為政府活化的重點項目，未來將打造成“港版筑地”，成為旅游勝地。灑掃庭院，將角落里的雜草垃圾清理干凈，才能開門迎接八方來客。

　　Fair competition must be upheld and not be jeopardised by sinister forces

　　Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market, Hong Kong's largest of the kind in size with its market share once reaching 70 per cent, is an important landmark in Aberdeen and also a key project for invigoration in the government's Invigorating Island South initiative. Nevertheless, Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market has long been manipulated by sinister forces and thus there is a lack of a fair competition environment, which not only negatively affects the incomes of fishmongers but also hurts the interests of consumers. In a joint operation, six government departments including the Competition Committee and Police Force earlier kicked off an investigation in the Aberdeen fish market. Major progresses have been made so far.　　The public is looking forward to it that authorities concerned will ensure laws are strictly enforced to deal a heavy blow to law breakers, so as to restore a fair competition environment in the market and bring back fairness to consumers. While good governance in Hong Kong cannot be achieved overnight, it is on the right track to start with problems concerning people's livelihood, with caring about citizens' "shopping baskets".

　　In the past several months, Ta Kung Pao reporters have conducted an in-depth investigation into the "underground operation" of the Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market, and discovered that there are two major tricks to breach the Competition Ordinance.

　　The first is to monopolise the pricing of seafood products.　　For instance, the price for Sabah grouper is set at $65 per catty (gan) across the board, which is labeled as "public price". However, at the Cheung Sha Wan and other fish market, there is no such saying as a "public price". As a matter of fact, import prices are different for the same kind of seafood product from different places, of different qualities or in different seasons. Moreover, pricing is also affected by the different locations of fish stalls and different business operation strategies of fishmongers. This is exactly what is meant by market competition. The saying itself that there are "public prices" itself is suspected of price-fixing and violating the major principle of fair competition.

　　The second is to monopolise supply channels. At 3:00 to 4:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. every day, the cargo trucks carrying seafood products would be parked neatly in lines after arriving in the market. Then there would come some individuals carrying certain forms and some others standing guard at the tailgates of the trucks. When workers of a fish stall come to pick up their goods, someone would write down what they take. There is no money changing hands on the spot. But according to owners of some fish stalls operating there, some people would come to them afterwards to collect money and each month a 10 per cent "commission" would be taken from each stall according to its business turnover. In this way, several million dollars would be pocketed in a breeze each month from collecting "protection fees" alone.

　　Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market's annual business turnover amounts to about $1 billion, and as such is coveted by sinister forces. More than a decade ago, some sinister forces already had got a hand in this fish market, illegally charging "commissions" through controlling supply channels. They did this starting with clam, then extending to other kinds of seafood such as abalone, scallop and elephant trunk clam, and finally to fish. Sinister forces now have infiltrated into each corner of the fish market. For instance, the import price of abalone is $80 per catty but the wholesale price jumps to $90-100 per catty after sinister forces' manipulation. Some fishmongers were retaliated who had refused to give in and obtained goods through other channels. Their seafood products were either thrown into the sea or died inexplicably. As fishmongers are powerless to resist, the sinister forces stretch their hands farther and farther. As a result, the problem of market monopolisation increasingly intensifies.

　　Any place that is seemingly under nobody's jurisdiction is bound to become a cesspool of vice. In Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market, there are undercurrents everywhere with problems keeping piling up over the years and becoming increasingly serious. Sinister forces' monopolisation of the fish market pose an open challenge to the rule of law. If the government fails to deal with it, not only people's livelihood would be affected but Hong Kong's reputation as a free market would also be damaged. Thankfully, some exploited fishmongers could no longer suffer in silence and had reported their cases to the Competition Committee earlier. Days ago, a joint task force of the Commission and other five government department including the Police Force marched with great strength and vigour into the fish market to conduct an investigation. In reply to an enquiry by Ta Kung Pao, the Competition Committee said it declined to make any comment at this stage since the cases were right under investigation. We hope that authorities concerned will take resolute actions to strictly enforce the law after sufficient evidence is collected.

　　Since it is not a new problem that sinister forces are entrenched in the fish market, perhaps some people may have grown accustomed to it and accept what is wrong as right. However, in a new era of "patriots governing Hong Kong", things have been set right in political domains and peace basically restored in society. Now in economic and people's livelihood domains, matters should also be clarified and things set right, and sinister forces should be rooted out. According to the blueprint of the government's Invigorating Island South initiative, Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market will be a key project of invigoration and turned into " Hong Kong-version Tsukiji " in future to become a tourist attraction. Only when the courtyard is swept clean with weeds and garbage in corners removed, can the door be opened to welcome guests from everywhere.