The marine monitoring center of south China's Guangdong Province has reported a serious red tide on the coast near its port city Zhuhai, a special economic zone neighboring Hong Kong.

According to experts of the Zhuhai ocean and aquatic products bureau, the red tide is growing densely in some sea areas with 80 to 100 clusters of 1-2 cm thick algae per cubic meter of water.

There is no report so far about fish deaths or other impacts on the local fishing industry and aquatic production.

Red tides normally occur between May and June, since the weather during the period is favorable for the growth of algae, the experts said.

Sea areas near Zhuhai and Hong Kong are often affected by the red tide, caused by the explosive breeding of a kind of ball-shaped brown algae which stops oxygen in the air from going into the sea water. Fish suffocate because of an oxygen shortage or from seaweed clogging their gills.

The local government has sent experts to the red tide area to monitor the growth of the seaweed and try to resolve the problem.

(Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2006)