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WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1986
A TOTAL OF 11 OCCURRENCES WERE REPORTED IN THAT AREA BETWEEN 1980 AND 1982, 11 IN 1993, 15 IN 1984 AND 16 IN 1985, WHILE 14 OCCURRENCES IN THE HARBOUR HAD BEEN RECORDED SO FAR THIS YEAR, HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT IN RECENT YEARS, RED TIDE AFFECTED AREAS HAD BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND A GREATER VARIETY OF THE CAUSATIVE ORGANISMS, CALLED DINOFLAGELLATES, HAD BEEN
IDENTIFIED.
MR SHIPMAN SAID THAT RED TIDE WAS WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON USUALLY OBSERVED IN COASTAL WATERS, AND STUDIES INTERNATIONALLY HAD NOT YET CONCLUSIVELY ESTABLISHED THE CAUSES OF RED TIDE.
HOWEVER, IT WAS CLEAR THAT POLLUTION WAS A FACTOR WHICH MADE THE OCCURRENCE OF RED TIDE MORE LIKELY, HE NOTED.
HE POINTED OUT THAT MOST OF THE RED TIDES WERE ASSOCIATED WITH FISHKILLS AND AFFECTED THE VIABILITY OF MARICULTURE ZONES.
+THEY MAY ALSO CONSTITUTE A PUBLIC HEALTH RISK, PARTICULARLY THROUGH THE INGESTION OF SEAFOOD CONTAMINATED BY TOXIC DINOFLAGELLATES,+ HE SAID.
MR SHIPMAN HOWEVER NOTED THAT THE PRESENCE IN SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF TOXIC SPECIES OF DINOFLAGELLATES HAD BEEN CONFIRMED IN ONLY ONE OF THE RECORDED INCIDENTS OF RED TIDE IN HONG KONG IN OCTOBER 1983.
SOME SHELLFISH CONTAMINATED BY TOXIC DINOFLAGELLATES WERE ALSO FOUND IN TOLO HARBOUR IN MARCH 1984, HE SAID.
THREE BILLS PASSED *****
THREE BILLS - THE BANKRUPTCY (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986, THE THEFT (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 AND THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING BILL 1986 -- WERE PASSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
FOUR OTHER BILLS -- THE SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION (1985-86) BILL 1986, THE FIRE SERVICES (AMENDMENT)(NO. 3) BILL 1986, THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 AND THE PHARMACY AND POISONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 SECOND TIME AND DEBATE ON THEM WAS ADJOURNED.
THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED TO JULY 23.
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WERE READ A
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