Disclaimer: These postings were sent to us from
a variety of media sources over the Internet. The content has not been
reviewed for scientific accuracy or edited in any manner.
RED TIDE, FISH KILL - JAPAN (SETO SEA)
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2004
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Yomiuri Shimbun, 24 Jul 2004 [edited]
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20040724wo34.htm
Outbreak of red tide kills 300 000 fish in Inland Sea
------------------------------------------
An outbreak of red tide in the Seto Inland Sea off Ehime, Kagawa and
Hiroshima prefectures has killed about 300 000 fish, including red sea
bream and flatfish, it was learned Thursday [22 Jul 2004].
The outbreak also has upset the timing of tides in the area, local
government officials said.
The phytoplankton _Chattonella ovata_, which causes the red tide, was
collected for the first time off the Utsumicho district of Fukuyama, where
red tide also has been reported. In the fish farms around the area, about
25 000 flatfish -- worth about 17 million yen [appx 155 000 USD] -- have died.
The same plankton was found off Takuma, Kagawa Prefecture, where about 18
000 yellowtail, worth 26.1 million yen [appx 238 000 USD], have died.
A different type of phytoplankton began to spread in the eastern area of
Kitanada Bay off Tsushima, Ehime Prefecture, around 12 Jul 2004. The red
tide outbreak there now covers about 1 kilometer and has killed about 250
000 red sea bream, worth about 121.5 million yen [appx 1 107 000 USD],
being raised by the Kitanada Fishery Association.
- --
ProMED-mail