WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1992
GOVT TAKES ACTIVE ROLE TO REDUCE POLLUTION
THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN TAKING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN REDUCING POLLUTION LOADING то THE SURROUNDING WATERS THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE AND STRATEGIC SEWAGE DISPOSAL SCHEME.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE COLLOQUIUM ON RED TIDES IN HONG KONG AND SOUTH CHINA 1992.
HE SAID THE OCCURRENCE OF RED TIDES IN THE TOLO SYSTEM, WHICH IS A LARGE ENCLOSED BAY TO THE NORTHEAST OF HONG KONG, APPEARED ΤΟ BE DECREASING AFTER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TOLO HARBOUR ACTION PLAN SINCE 1987.
**RED TIDES NOW ATTRACT MORE PUBLIC ATTENTION BECAUSE OF THEIR INCREASING INTENSITY, AND BECAUSE OF THEIR IMPACT ON MARINE ENVIRONMENT, ON FISHERIES AND, POTENTIALLY AT LEAST, ON PUBLIC HEALTH.
"FISH KILLS ASSOCIATED WITH RED TIDES SINCE 1980 HAVE AMOUNTED TO 246 TONNES, AT A VALUE OF $12.6 MILLION, HE SAID.
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IN 1988, THERE WERE 88 INCIDENTS OF RED TIDES, THE HIGHEST ANY YEAR ON RECORD.
ANY
"GAZETTED BEACHES HAVE ALSO BEEN
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES,
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HE SAID.
THREATENED,
FOR
AFFECTING
HOWEVER, MR EASON POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS NOT YET FULLY UNDERSTOOD HOW RED TIDES WERE FORMED, AND HE HOPED THAT THE SYMPOSIUM WOULD GIVE THE EXPERTS AN OPPORTUNITY ΤΟ SHED MORE LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT.
ESTABLISHED A
HE SAID GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN HONG KONG HAD RED TIDE REPORTING NETWORK, AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL ACTION PLAN AND A DATABASE ON RED TIDE OCCURRENCE.
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HE ADDED THAT THE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS WERE RESEARCHING FORMATION OF RED TIDES AND THEIR BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS, WITH THE TWIN AIMS OF SAFEGUARDING PUBLIC HEALTH AND MINIMISING ECONOMIC LOSS CAUSED BY RED TIDES.
MR EASON POINTED OUT THAT RED TIDES WERE NOT RESTRICTED TO HONG KONG WATERS.
HE CONSIDERED THAT THE PARTICIPATION OF EXPERTS FROM CHINA IN THE COLLOQUIUM WOULD ENABLE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUBJECT, PAVE THE WAY FOR MUTUAL CO-OPERATION IN FURTHER RESEARCH WORK AND FORMULATE MORE EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH RED TIDES PROBLEM.
THE COLLOQUIUM, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND HELD IN HONG KONG, WAS ATTENDED BY EXPERTS, ACADEMICS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN THE FIELDS OF MARINE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FROM HONG KONG AND CHINA.
/THE EVENT