A red tide has been sighted over the past week, an inter-departmental red tide working group reported today (July 3).
The red tide was spotted by staff of the Marine Department on June 28 in the southern waters including the Tathong Channel, the East Lamma Channel, the West Lamma Channel and Victoria Harbour. The red tide still persists. No associated death of fish has been reported.
A spokesman for the working group said, "The red tide was formed by Pseudo‑nitzschia pungens, Chaetoceros pseudocurvisetus and Guinardia delicatula, which are commonly found in Hong Kong waters and non-toxic."
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) urged mariculturists at the Ma Wan, Cheung Sha Wan, Lo Tik Wan, Sok Kwu Wan, Po Toi O, Tung Lung Chau and Po Toi fish culture zones to monitor the situation closely and increase aeration where necessary.
Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The AFCD's proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue to monitor red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public.
Follow this news feed: East Asia