新西兰英语 488 Fishing quotas

 　　The Minister of Fisheries controls the fishing quotas² for commercial fishing. Yesterday the Minister said that the quota¹ for Hoki will increase from 120,000 tonnes to 130,000 tonnes. This is because the Ministry³’s scientists say the numbers of Hoki in the sea around New Zealand have increased. The year 2001 was the peak for Hoki fishing when the quota was 250,000 tonnes. However, the numbers of fish decreased after that so the Ministry of Fisheries reduced the quota to 100,000 tonnes in 2004, and again to 90,000 tonnes in 2007.

　　The Minister reduced the quota for Orange Roughy and Bluenose fish because scientists say their numbers are decreasing. The Minister often changes quotas at this time of year. Quotas are from October 1st for a year.

　　Hoki is our second most important seafood⁴ export. Last year New Zealand exports of Hoki earned $172m. Lobster⁵ exports are the number one seafood export, bringing in $229m to the country. Mussels are just behind Hoki at $171m. The top five countries which buy our seafood are Australia which paid $286m, Hong Kong $250m, China $200m, USA $178m and Japan $129m.

　　Vocabulary

　　quota – the amount commercial fisherman can catch

　　commercial fishing – done in fishing boats by people who do this as their job.

　　peak – at the top

　　reduce – make less e.g. reduce speed

　　seafood includes fish, lobsters⁶, mussels etc. (Note: one fish, many fish. The plural⁷ is usually the same as the singular).

　　Listening to numbers

　　There are a lot of numbers in this text – money, weight and years. Listen without looking at the text and try to write down the numbers you hear. Check your answers.

　　Questions

　　Why does the Ministry of Fisheries set quotas? Why did the Minister increase the quota of Hoki?

　　How does the Ministry check that fishing boats do not carry more than their quota of fish?

　　How can scientists count the fish in the sea?

1 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

2 quotas   

（正式限定的）定量( quota的名词复数 )； 定额； 指标； 摊派

参考例句：

• In fulfilling the production quotas, John made rings round all his fellow workers. 约翰完成生产定额大大超过他的同事们。
• Quotas of the means of production are allocated by the higher administrative bodies to the lower ones. 物资指标按隶属关系分配。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 seafood   

n.海产食品，海味，海鲜

参考例句：

• There's an excellent seafood restaurant near here.离这儿不远有家非常不错的海鲜馆。
• Shrimps are a popular type of seafood.小虾是比较普遍的一种海味。

5 lobster   

n.龙虾，龙虾肉

参考例句：

• The lobster is a shellfish.龙虾是水生贝壳动物。
• I like lobster but it does not like me.我喜欢吃龙虾，但它不适宜于我的健康。

6 lobsters   

龙虾( lobster的名词复数 )； 龙虾肉

参考例句：

• I have no idea about how to prepare those cuttlefish and lobsters. 我对如何烹调那些乌贼和龙虾毫无概念。
• She sold me a couple of live lobsters. 她卖了几只活龙虾给我。

7 plural   

n.复数；复数形式；adj.复数的

参考例句：

• Most plural nouns in English end in's '.英语的复数名词多以s结尾。
• Here you should use plural pronoun.这里你应该用复数代词。