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WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1987
RED TIDE DETECTED IN FISH CULTURE ZONE
THE AGRICULTURE
AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT TODAY (WEDNESDAY} DETECTED THE OCCURRENCE OF RED TIDE AFFECTING MOST OF THE MARINE FISH UNDER CULTURE IN THE YUNG SHUE AU FISH CULTURE ZONE, THREE FATHOMS COVE IN TOLO HARBOUR.
FOLLOWING A REPORT RECEIVED THIS MORNING, A FISHERIES RESEARCH OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT, DR PATSY WONG, CONDUCTED AN ON-SITE INVESTIGATION TO IDENTIFY THE RED TIDE THAT CAUSED SERIOUS FISH KILL IN THE AREA.
THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE DOMINANT SPECIES OF PLANKTON WAS "PERIDINIUM FAEROENSE" AND ON-SITE MICE BIOASSAY PROVED THAT THE RED TIDE WAS NON-TOXIC. THE PLANKTON BLOOMED AND COLLAPSED DURING THE NIGHT, RESULTING IN RAPID OXYGEN DEPLETION IN THE WATERS WHICH WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FISH KILL.
IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT 60 TONNES OF FISH CONSISTING LARGELY OF SEABREAMS, GIANT PERCH AND GROUPERS WERE AFFECTED. AS THE FISH DIED ONLY OF OXYGEN DEPLETION, THEY WERE FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH HAS IMMEDIATELY BEEN INFORMED OF THE SITUATION.
HAS ADVISED THE OXYGEN
LEVEL
THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT MARICULTURISTS TO MINIMISE THEIR LOSS BY IMPROVING IN THE WATERS THROUGH MECHANICAL MEANS.
"THEY SHOULD ALWAYS DO SO WHEN LOW CURRENTS AND STAGNANT ARE DETECTED, DR WONG SAID.
TIDES
TSUEN WAN MARINE DISTRICT IMPORTANT ASSET OF HONG KONG PORT
THE
WATERS ISLAND,
TSUEN WAN MARINE DISTRICT COVERS A VERY IMPORTANT PART HONG KONG WATERS INCLUDING TSUEN
OF LANTAU AROUND TSING YI, MA WAN AND THE NORTHEASTERN PART ACTING DIRECTOR OF MARINE, MR P.J. WU, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
OF
WAN BAY, RAMBLER CHANNEL,
"THE DISTINCT HYDROGEAHPICAL FEATURES OF THIS SPREAD OF MAKE IT A PARTICULAR ASSET OF THE PORT OF HONG KONG,
HE SAID.
WATERS
/MR JU