WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1986
50
EFFORTS TO TACKLE RED TIDES CONTINUING
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THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE WITH ITS CONTROL PROGRAMME FOR MINIMISING THE HARM DONE BY RED TIDES, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON NIGEL SHIPMAN, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
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IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN MR SHIPMAN SAID A WATER SAMPLING PROGRAMME WAS CONDUCTED IN TOLO HARBOUR AND SOME OTHER INNER BAYS EVERY TWO WEEKS AND THIS COULD GIVE EARLY DETECTION OF RED TIDE CAUSATIVE ORGANISMS.
HE SAID THAT ROUTINE TOXICITY TESTING OF SHELLFISH FROM THE MARKET AND IN MARINE HABITATS WAS ALSO CARRIED OUT.
HE ADDED: +THERE ARE ALSO STANDING ARRANGEMENTS FOR FISHERMEN AND THE STAFF OF DEPARTMENTS WHICH ARE ACTIVE IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT TO REPORT SIGHTINGS OF RED TIDES TO THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT.
+MARICULTURISTS MAY THEN BE ASSISTED IN THE TEMPORARY RELOCATION OF THEIR FISH RAFTS TO UNAFFECTED WATERS AND ADVISED ON OTHER REMEDIAL MEASURES.+
MR SHIPMAN SAID THAT WHENEVER A RED TIDE WHICH WAS SUSPECTED TO BE TOXIC AFFECTED ANY AREA OF FISH OR SHELLFISH FARMING, FARMERS WERE WARNED NOT TO SELL THEIR PRODUCE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION PENDING TESTS.
+ IF THE TESTS SHOW THAT THE FISH OR SHELLFISH ARE NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION, THEY ARE DESTROYED, HE SAID.
MR SHIPMAN NOTED THAT THESE STANDING ARRANGEMENTS WERE DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT SEAFOOD WHICH WAS RENDERED UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION AS A RESULT OF RED TIDES DID NOT REACH THE MARKETS.
IN THE EVENT OF RED TIDE OUTBREAKS IN BEACH WATERS, WARNING SIGNS WERE ERECTED TO ALERT THE PUBLIC, HE SAID.
IN THE LONGER TERM SOLUTION, MR SHIPMAN SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT POLLUTION BY NUTRIENTS SHOULD BE REDUCED SINCE THIS WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE KNOWN CAUSATIVE FACTORS OF RED TIDES WHICH WAS AMENABLE TO CONTROL.
PRESENT MEASURES FOR THE REMOVAL OF NUTRIENTS IN SEWAGE EFFLUENTS TOGETHER WITH PROPOSED CONTROLS ON THE DISPOSAL OF ANIMAL WASTES WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO ACHIEVE THIS REDUCTION, HE SAID.
MR SHIPMAN NOTED THAT RED TIDES WERE A RARE OCCURRENCE IN TOLO HARBOUR IN THE 1970S, BUT THE FREQUENCY HAD INCREASED MARKEDLY SINCE THEN.
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