XN000022-1987-08-03 — Page 2

DANGER OF FISH KILL LOOMS

MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 1987

THE AGRICULTURE AND

FISHERIES DEPARTMENT THIS (MONDAY) AFTERNOON ADVISED MARICULTURISTS IN THE FISH CULTURE ZONES OF YIM TIN TSAI EAST AND WEST, AND YUNG SHUF AU OF A POSSIBLE LOW DISSOLVED OXYGEN CONDITION THIS EVENING.

A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE SITUATION MIGHT GIVE RISE TO A HIGH MORTALITY OF MOST OF THE FISH SPECIES UNDER CULTURE IN THESE AREAS. HE STRONGLY ADVISED FISH FARMERS IN THESE AREAS TO AERATE THEIR FISH CAGES IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS PARTICULARLY THIS EVENING.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE CONDITION CAME TO LIGHT WHEN FISHERIES RESEARCH STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT, IN THE COURSE OF THEIR REGULAR MONITORING OF THESE AREAS THIS MORNING, DISCOVERED AN ABNORMALLY HIGH DISSOLVED OXYGEN LEVEL, AT OVER 15 PARTS PER MILLION (PPM), IN THE SURFACE LAYER DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF A RELATIVELY LARGE POPULATION OF PHYTOPLANKTON-SKELETONEMA-IN THE WATER.

THE NORMAL DISSOLVED OXYGEN CONTENT ON THESE AREAS AT CURRENT TEMPERATURE IS WITHIN THE RANGE OF 4 TO 8 PPM.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE ABNORMALITY WAS THE RESULT OF THE PHYTOPLANKTON'S PHOTOSYNTHETIC ACTIVITIES WHICH RELEASED OXYGEN INTO THE WATER DURING DAYTIME.

"AT NIGHT, PHOTOSYNTHESIS CEASES AND THE TO CONSUME OXYGEN AS A RESULT OF RESPIRATION DEPLETE THE DISSOLVED OXYGEN IN THE WATER AND KILL. HE SAID.

14

ADVICE,

PHYTOPLANKTON BEGINS WHICH WILL MARKEDLY WILL RESULT IN FISH

"IT IS IN FISH FARMERS'S INTEREST THAT THEY

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

SHOL LD HEED

OUR

NEED TO COMBINE PRODUCTIVITY AND SAFETY

ASSISTANT

FOR COMMISSIONER

WELL-MANAGED OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND

ALSO NOT ONLY PROFITABLE TO COMPANIES BUT

MR LABOUR,

HEALTH PROGRAMMES

ΤΟ BENEFICIAL

MAK

PROVE EMPLOYEES, SAI-YIU, SAID TODAY

(MONDAY).

THIS

WAS

NOT

ΤΟ COMPANIES AVOIDED THE DAMAGE TO PLANT PRESERVED THEIR LIVES AND LIMBS, HE ADDED,

DIFFICULT

UNDERSTAND

AND

BECAUSE

WHILE

THE

EQUIPMENT,

THE

EMPLOYEES

/MR MAK