Press Releases
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Government welcomes recommendations of red tide study
The Government will actively examine the implications and cost effectiveness of the recommendations recently submitted by the consultants studying red tide management and monitoring in Hong Kong. A Government spokesman said today (Saturday) that the Government considered the recommendations generally acceptable and bureaux and departments involved would prioritise the recommendations in drawing up their specific action plans. The major recommendations of the consultancy study included proposals for enhancement in co-ordination, phytoplankton monitoring, biotoxin monitoring, public communication/education, and mitigation measures. He said the Government recognised the importance of overall co-ordination between bureaux and departments in dealing with red tide incidents and harmful algal blooms (HAB). He said: "The Economic Services Bureau will, in consultation with concerned bureaux and departments, consider the formation of a Red Tide/HAB Task Force as recommended by the consultants. "The Agriculture and Fisheries Department (AFD) will co-ordinate the establishment of an Operational Technical Team to enhance the co-operation between departments on operational matters," he said. He said the Government would draw on the existing Red Tide Group of Experts advising AFD to form an Expert Advisory Group to enhance communications with red tide experts and mariculturists. Noting that the primary objective of the study is to minimise the impacts of red tide on the mariculture industry and that most of the consultants' recommendations were related to red tide monitoring, the spokesman reiterated that AFD had upgraded its monitoring capability from visible red tide monitoring to pro-active monitoring to provide early warning of HAB to mariculturists. He said AFD had also assisted mariculturists to set up support groups in various culture zones as recommended by the consultants because efficient communication and co-ordination among mariculturists were important during emergency. On the use of satellite remote sensing to monitor red tides, he stressed that satellite monitoring was still a research tool rather than an available operational option, a view shared by the consultants. He agreed that the monitoring of biotoxin in shellfish should also be improved and said the Department of Health would study the consultants' recommendations and the way forward to implement the recommendations. He said the Government would also examine other longer term recommendations such as the development of red tide/HAB tracking models and research projects. An unprecedented outbreak of HAB occurred in March 1998 and caused serious impacts to the mariculture industry. The Government commissioned the consultancy study in September last year with a view to enhance its strategies and action plans for monitoring and managing red tide and HAB outbreaks in Hong Kong. |
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