Giant Red Tide In China (Equivalent To 1.3 Million Soccer Fields In Area)

BEIJING - "A toxic red tide has blanketed the equivalent of more than 1.3 million soccer fields of sea off eastern China, threatening marine and human life, state media says. The tide is caused by plankton reproducing itself in large quantities due to nutrients provided in part by sewage and industrial waste.

The vice-minister at the State Environmental Protection Administration, Pan Yue, warned people about eating fish from the area off Zhoushan in Zhejiang province, Saturday's China Daily said. "It might cause damage to humans because the red tide contains paralysing toxins," he said.

"The phenomenon, though colourful in appearance, is very dangerous because it can lead to the death of aquatic life and therefore cause damage to the fishing industry."

The red tide first appeared at the beginning of May."

EDIT

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/25118/story.htm

The East really is red now! Let's see, that would be about 1 million acres - substantial.

I've been on a few fishing junks and the drag nets catch more trash than fish.

"Red tide is covering 8,000 to 10,000 square kilometres of sea areas, or an area equal to more than 1.3 million soccer fields near Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang Province. State Environmental Protection Administration Vice-Minister Pan Yue warned people on Friday about aquatic products from these sea areas, which might cause damage to humans because the red tide contains paralyzing toxins.

EDIT

The administration is also working together with East China's Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang and Shanghai on the control of sewage discharges into the East China Sea from the three regions.

According to information on the environment of China's sea areas released by the State Oceanic Administration earlier this year, red tide occurred 119 times last year in China's coastal areas, affecting an accumulated area of 14,550 square kilometres."

EDIT/END

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-05/15/content_330882.htm