*******************************
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) today (August 18) reminded mariculturists to keep a close watch on their fish culture zones and report any fish kills or irregularities in view of a recent spate of red tide sightings in Hong Kong waters.
An AFCD spokesman said a number of red tide sightings were reported from August 15 to 18. The red tides mainly hit the southern and south-western waters of Hong Kong including Tong Fuk Beach, Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach, Butterfly Beach, Castle Peak Beach, Kadoorie Beach, Cafeteria Old Beach, Cafeteria New Beach, Golden Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach, Lido Beach, Casam Beach, Approach Beach, Kwun Yam Beach, Repulse Bay Beach, South Bay Beach and Middle Bay Beach; fish culture zones at Ma Wan, Lo Tik Wan, Sok Kwu Wan; and the waters near Lamma Island, Tuen Mun Pier, Tai O, Siu Ho Wan, Lamma Island's Sham Wan and Tuen Mun's Nim Wan.
All the red tides still persist except for the one sighted at Tong Fuk Beach. An inter-departmental red tide working group is closely monitoring the situation.
Laboratory tests found that the red tides were formed by Protopolykrikos distortus, which was rare in local waters. The same species was recorded in Hong Kong waters in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 without causing adverse effects to local fish.
"Though no fish kills have been reported so far, we have informed mariculturists at Cheung Sha Wan, Lo Tik Wan, Ma Wan, Sok Kwu Wan and Po Toi of the latest red tide occurrences and will watch out for any irregularities," the spokesman said.
The department has also liaised with the Guangdong Provincial Oceanic and Fishery Administration and exchanged information regarding the recent red tide occurrences in Hong Kong and its adjacent waters.
Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The AFCD's proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue monitoring red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public.
Ends/Thursday, August 18, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:19
NNNN