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THE LIFESTYLE OF THE HONG KONG FISHERMAN IS DYING OUT; A PROFESSION THAT ONCE MADE UP THE ENTIRE HONG KONG ECONOMY, HAS ALL BUT DISAPPEARED. A STRONG EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE FISHING VILLAGE OF TAI O. TAI O HAS TRANSFORMED ITSELF INTO A TOURIST DESTINATION TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOST INCOME THAT ONCE CAME FROM FISHING. TOURISTS FLOCK TO TAI O LOOKING FOR A TRADITIONAL VILLAGE BUT THEIR PRESENCE AND PATRONAGE OF TOURISM TAKE AWAY FROM THE AUTHENTICITY. MOST OF THE FISH SOLD IN THE TOURIST MARKETS OF TAI O ARE PURCHASED ELSEWHERE. SEVERAL OTHER FISHING VILLAGES HAVE SUFFERED THE SAME FATE ALTHOUGH SOME SMALL SLIVERS OF THE TRADITIONAL VILLAGES STILL EXIST; THE COMMUNITIES ARE PRIMARILY ELDERLY PEOPLE DEDICATED TO MAINTAINING THEIR DAILY LIVES. THESE PHOTOGRAPHS AIM TO SHOW THE REMNANTS OF HONG KONG’S TRADITIONAL FISHING VILLAGES IN CONTRAST WITH THE EXPLODING TOURISM INDUSTRY.
The lifestyle of the hong kong fisherman is dying out; a profession that once made up the entire hong kong economy, has all but disappeared. A strong example of this is the fishing village of tai o. Tai o has transformed itself into a tourist destination to make up for the lost income that once came from fishing. These photographs aim to show the remnants of hong kong’s traditional fishing villages in contrast with the exploding tourism industry.
Photo: A tour guide leads chinese tourists along the main street of Tai O.
A father and son fish on a dock off the coast of Lantau Island, Hong Kong next to the construction site of the 8.4 billion dollar bridge connecting Hong Kong and Macau.
Two tour boats encroach upon a local fisherman docking his boat
A local woman pushes a cart through herds of tourists.
Rements are still visible from an incredibly destructive fire that affected Tai O in 2013.
A man watches a tourist boat in Aberdeen Harbor.
A man manuevers a dingy through fishing boats and yachts.
Government owned property in Tai O.
Two men load fresh fish into one of Hong Kong's famous wet markets.
A boat abandoned on the shores of Sai Kung.
Two local women sell live fish to tourists.