WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1983
7
RED TIDES NO CAUSE FOR ALARM CHING
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MOST RED TIDES IN HONG KONG CONTAIN NO TOXIC MATTER AT ALL, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON HENRY CHING, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
+AND WITH ONE RECENT EXCEPTION, EVEN WHERE SUCH MATTER HAS BEEN FOUND IT HAS BEEN IN SUCH MINUTE QUANTITIES AS TO GIVE NO CAUSE FOR ALARM,+ MR CHING SAID, REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG YAN LUNG.
MR CHING EXPLAINED THAT WHEN FISH DIE AS A RESULT OF SUCH RED TIDES, THEY NORMALLY DIE FROM SUFFOCATION IN THE SAME MANNER AS IF PULLED FROM THE SEA IN A FISHERMAN'S NET.
IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE, IN THE PRESENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE, TO PREVENT RED TIDES, WHICH ARE A WORLDWIDE PROBLEM AND, TO AN EXTENT, A NATURAL PHENOMENON, HE SAID.
MR CHING SAID ALSO THAT THERE ARE STANDING ARRANGEMENTS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT FISH RENDERED UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION AS A RESULT OF RED TIDES DO NOT REACH THE MARKETS.
STAFF OF DEPARTMENTS WHOSE WORK HABITUALLY TAKES THEM INTO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT REPORT INSTANCES OF RED TIDE TO THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, WHICH ACTS AS THE FOCAL- POINT FOR FOLLOW-UP ACTION.
THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS ALSO IMMEDIATELY ALERTED WHEN RED TIDES ARE SIGHTED.
+SHOULD RED TIDE AFFECT ANY AREA OF FISH-FARMING, THE FARMER WOULD BE WARNED NOT TO SELL HIS FISH FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION PENDING TESTS. IF THE TESTS SHOWED THAT THE FISH WERE NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION, THEY WOULD BE DESTROYED, MR CHING SAID.
HE SAID ALSO THAT SHELLFISH NEED TO BE WATCHED MORE CAREFULLY BECAUSE OF THE IR ABILITY TO ABSORB AND ACCUMULATE A HIGHER LEVEL OF TOXIN AND OTHER POLLUTANTS, AND ARE THEREFORE REGULARLY TESTED AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION.
WORDS REAFFIRMED ON PROPOSED EXHIBITION CENTRE
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THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, THE HON E.P. HO TODAY REAFFIRMED THE WORDS HE USED IN HIS REPLY TO THE PREVIOUS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING REGARDING THE PROPOSED EXHIBITION CENTRE PROJECT.
MR HO MADE THE REAFFIRMATION IN RESPONSE TO A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION BY THE HON LYDIA DUNN IN THE COUNCIL.
/HE POINTED
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