Press Releases

Red tide sighting report
Friday, October 26, 2001

An inter-departmental red tide working group reported today (October 26) a red tide sighting within Hong Kong waters to keep the public informed of the latest monitoring situation.

A spokesman for the working group said a red tide was observed on October 24 at Sha Tau Kok Hoi by staff of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD).

The red tide was formed by Skeletonema costatum, Thalassiosira proschkinae and Chaetoceros tenuissimus. The three species had been sighted in Hong Kong waters before and were non-toxic. The red tide still persisted today.

AFCD had reminded mariculturists of the Sha Tau Kok fish culture zone on the possibility of oxygen depletion in the water. No associated fish kill was reported.

The spokesman said red tide was a natural phenomenon. AFCD's pro-active and comprehensive phytoplankton monitoring programme would continue monitoring red tide occurrence to minimise its impact on the mariculture industry.