Red tide sighted
****************

     A red tide has been sighted during the past week, an inter-departmental red tide working group reported today (July 17).
 
     The red tide was spotted by staff of the Marine Department on July 13 in Victoria Harbour near Kwun Tong Public Pier. The red tide has dissipated. No associated death of fish has been reported.
 
     A spokesman for the working group said, "The red tide was formed by Amphora sp., which is not commonly found in Hong Kong waters and is non-toxic."
 
     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) urged mariculturists at Tung Lung Chau 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.
 

Ends/Friday, July 17, 2020
Issued at HKT 17:45

NNNN