XN000022-1996-07-09 — Page 3

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The notice of intended prosecution to the owner of the Hong Kong United Dockyards is in relation to the following offences:

(a)

failure to report oil spill incident (Section 48(a) of the Shipping and Port Control Ordinance); and

(b)

discharge of oil into the waters of Hong Kong (Section 46(b) (i) of the Shipping and Port Control Ordinance).

Meanwhile the acting Director of Marine, Mr S Y Tsui, has ordered a local marine inquiry into the incident and has appointed the Surveyor of Ships (Nautical), Mr Chau Siu-wah, to head the investigation.

End

AFD to help oil spill affected mariculturists

The Agriculture and Fisheries Department (AFD) is taking active steps to assist Ma Wan mariculturists affected by the oil spill.

An AFD spokesman said following the preliminary investigation yesterday, the department had deployed four teams of field staff this (Tuesday) morning to assess the existing fish stock at the Ma Wan fish culture zone and record fish losses as well as damage to cages, rafts and vessels.

This exercise is assisted by the Tsuen Wan District Office.

"The exercise is necessary because it would help us to assess the damage being done to cultured fish at the zone with a view to assisting the mariculturists to seek appropriate compensation," he said.

He said AFD was also represented at a meeting involving relevant departments, fishermen and the Hong Kong United Dockyards Ltd held at the Tsuen Wan District Office this morning.

The meeting decided that prompt and quick actions should be taken to clean up the residual oil at and near the fish culture zone, he said.