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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1984
CO-ORDINATION WORK STARTS IMMEDIATELY.
SAMPLES OF WATER, FISH AND SHELLFISH FROM THE AFFECTED LOCATION ARE SENT BY THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG FOR TESTING.
+SUSPECTED FOOD WILL BE DETAINED PENDING TEST RESULTS. IF THE SAMPLES ARE PROVED TO BE TOXIC, NOTICES WILL BE ISSUED TO FISH FARMERS, SUPPLIERS AND RETAILERS TO WITHDRAW FISH AFFECTED BY THE RED TIDES FROM THE SALES MARKET, + MR HOLMES SAID.
THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO ADVISE FISH FARMERS ON HOW TO PROTECT THEIR FISH STOCKS. THE METHOD USED IS USUALLY TO STIR THE WATER WITH PROPELLERS FROM A BOAT TO INCREASE OXYGEN SUPPLY NEEDED BY THE FISH OR TO TOW FISH RAFTS TO SAFE AREAS.
+SHELLFISH NEED TO BE WATCHED MORE CAREFULLY BECAUSE OF THEIR ABILITY TO ABSORB AND ACCUMULATE A HIGHER LEVEL OF TOXINS AND OTHER POLLUTANTS WHEREAS FIN FISH DIE QUICKLY IN A TOXIC RED TIDE,+ HE SAID.
EPA OPERATES A REGULAR MONITORING PROGRAMME ON THE QUALITY OF COASTAL WATERS.
PRECAUTIONS COVER A BROAD FRONT. SWIMMERS ARE ADVISED TO STAY AWAY FROM AFFECTED AREAS EVEN THOUGH RED TIDES POSE ONLY MINIMAL HEALTH HAZARDS, APART FROM CAUSING MINOR SKIN IRRITATIONS.
+ IT IS MOST UNLIKELY FOR A SWIMMER TO INGEST TOXINS IN QUANTITIES LARGE ENOUGH FOR THEM TO BE HARMFUL, MR HOLMES SAID.
RED TIDES FIRST CAUGHT PUBLIC ATTENTION IN HONG KONG IN 1971 WHEN A RAPID PROLIFERATION OF DINOFLAGELLATES TURNED THE SOUTHERN BAYS OF HONG KONG ISLAND PINKISH, HE RECALLED.
NO RED TIDE WAS REPORTED AGAIN UNTIL 1978 WHEN AN OUTBREAK WAS SIGHTED IN TOLO HARBOUR.
SINCE 1980, HOWEVER, OVER 20 RED TIDES HAVE BEEN SIGHTED IN HONG KONG WATERS, MOSTLY IN TOLO HARBOUR.
BUT SO FAR ONLY ONE OF THEM HAS PROVED TO BE TOXIC RED TIDE SPOTTED LAST OCTOBER IN TAI PO HO1.
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THE
MR HOLMES NOTED THAT OBSERVATIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD HAD POINTED TO A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COASTAL WATER POLLUTION AND THE OUTBREAK OF RED TIDES.
+THE GROWING FREQUENCY OF RED TIDES IN TOLO HAS COINCIDED WITH THE INCREASING POLLUTION OF THE HARBOUR CAUSED BY THE GROWING POPULATION OF SHA TIN AND TAI PO. HOWEVER, TREATMENT WORKS HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED TO LIMIT THE IMPACT, HE POINTED OUT.
+EPA HAS RECENTLY STARTED STUDIES OF ALGAL GROWTH UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS IN TOLD HARBOUR.
/+THESE STUDIES,