XN000022-1980-05-13 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MAY 13, 1980

CLOSE LOOK AT DAMAGE BY RED TIDE

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THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, MR JOHN

RIDDELL-SWAN, AND AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DR HO KAM-FAI, TODAY (TUESDAY) VISITED THE FISH FARMS IN YIM TIN TSAI THAT WERE BADLY AFFECTED BY THE RECENT RED TIDES.

THEIR AIM WAS TO HAVE A LOOK AT PRESENT CONDITIONS AND TO SEE AT FIRST HAND THE DAMAGE TO FISH FARMS.

THEY ALSO DISCUSSED WITH THE FARMERS THEIR PLANS FOR GETTING BACK ON THEIR OWN FEET AND ASSESSED WHAT ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT COULD PROVIDE TO HELP THEM.

FOR DR HO IT WAS HIS FIRST VISIT TO A FISH MARICULTURE FARM AND HE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AND LEARN+ AND TO TALK TO THE FISH FARMERS ABOUT THEIR PROBLEMS, PARTICULARLY THE OCCURRENCE OF RED TIDE.

HE AND MR RIDDELL-SWAN BOTH AGREED WITH THE FISH FARMERS THAT GREATER EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE IN RESEARCH TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE FACTORS LEADING TO IT.

MR RIDDELL-SWAN HOPED THAT IN TIME SOME SORT OF AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM COULD BE DEVISED.

HE SAID: +WE ARE AT PRESENT INVESTIGATING EVERY OUTBREAK IN AN EFFORT TO GET CLOSER TO THE FACTORS LEADING TO RED TIDES AND CARRYING OUT REGULAR MONITORING OF THE SEA WATER IN CERTAIN AREAS. FISH FARMERS, CAN HELP US IN THIS BY LETTING US KNOW OF OUTBREAKS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.+

THE FIRST OCCURRENCE OF RED TIDE BETWEEN APRIL 17 AND 19 AFFECTED 320 FISH FARMS IN SHA TAU KOK, AP CHAU, KAT O, SAI LAU KONG, WONG WAN, TAP MUN, KAU LAU WAN AND SHAM WÁN.

THE SECOND OCCURRENCE BETWEEN APRIL 27 AND 30 AFFECTED ANOTHER 322 FISH FARMS IN YIM TIN TSAI, HA HANG, TAI MEI TUK, WU KAI SHA, TAP MUN, SHAM WAN AND KAU SAI.

ABOUT 37 TONNES OF CULTURED FISH WORTH OVER $1 MILLION WERE REPORTED LOST IN THE TWO OUTBREAKS.

IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS, STAFF OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT VISITED ALL THE AFFECTED FARMS TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE AND TO GIVE ADVICE AND INITIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE FISH FARMERS,

FURTHER VISITS WERE MADE WHERE NECESSARY AND, IN CASES OF EXTREME HARDSHIP WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WAS GIVEN FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S EMERGENCY RELIEF TRUST FUND.

TO DATE, A TOTAL OF SOME $46 000 HAS BEEN GIVEN TO 22 FISH FARMERS.

A FURTHER 100 APPLICATIONS FOR RELIEF ARE NOW BEING QUICKLY PROCESSED AND PAYMENTS, AMOUNTING TO ABOUT $200 000, ARE EXPECTED TO BE PAID IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

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