Press Releases

Red tide monitoring system improved
Friday, March 5, 1999

The Agriculture and Fisheries Department (AFD) has implemented a series of red tide monitoring and management measures in preparation for the red tide season this spring.

AFD Senior Fisheries Officer, Dr Patsy Wong, today (Friday) explained that AFD had set up 16 monitoring stations in its phytoplankton monitoring programme, covering wider areas of Hong Kong waters.

Dr Wong said: "The programme serves as a means to detect possible development of red tide within Hong Kong waters.

"Upon detection of increasing number of harmful species, monitoring will be intensified so that we can immediately alert mariculturists to take mitigatory measures to minimise loss."

In case of a harmful red tide occurrence, AFD staff would be mobilised to analyse samples on site and there would be aerial survey to assess its spread and extent.

Noting that existing technology was still far from being able to predict or control red tide occurrences, Dr Wong stressed that a practical approach was to strength monitoring and early detection so that mariculturists would have sufficient time to take mitigatory measures to minimise loss.

Dr Wong said: "For mariculturists, one of the major mitigatory measures is to relocate the rafts and AFD has designed a new raft mooring device to speed up the relocation process."

She also stressed that efficient communication and coordination among mariculturists were important during emergency and mariculturists, with the assistance of AFD, had set up support groups in various culture zones.

"The group is responsible for the dissemination of red tide warning messages and the coordination of raft relocation and dead fish disposal," Dr Wong added.

She said AFD would issue regular press releases to keep the media as well as the public better informed on the occurrences of red tide.