THE
OCCURRENCE OF THE RED TIDE
WAS FIRST DETECTED ON 15 FEBRUARY 2004 FOLLOWING THE OCCURRENCE IN
SABAH, MALAYSIA IN LATE 2003 AND IN LABUAN, FEDERAL TERRITORY IN EARLY
FEBRUARY 2004.
THE
RED TIDE PHENOMENON IS CAUSED BY A SUDDEN BLOOM OF PLANKTONIC ALGAE. THE
PHENOMENOM HAD AFFECTED THE WATERS OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM FOUR TIMES: 1976, 1980,
1988 AND 2004, COMPARED TO SABAH WHICH HAS BEEN AFFECTED ALMOST EVERY YEAR.
THE
PREVIOUS THREE OCCURRENCES WERE CAUSED BY THE SAME ONE SPECIES, THAT IS, Pyrodinium
bahamanse var compressum, THE OCCURRENCE IN 2004, HOWEVER, IS INITIALLY
CAUSED BY A DIFFERENT RED TIDE SPECIES, THAT IS, Cochlodinium polykrikoides,
BUT AT THE LATER STAGES BOTH
SPECIES WERE FOUND IN THE WATER SAMPLES COLLECTED AND ANALYSED.
THE
LESSONS WE LEARNT FROM THE EARLIER OCCURRENCES, POINTED OUT TO US THE NEED FOR
CONCERTED AND COORDINATED ACTIONS AMONG RELEVANT AGENCIES AND WITH THAT WE HAVE
ESTABLISHED THE NATIONAL RED TIDE ACTION PLAN IN 1992.
THE
NATIONAL RED TIDE ACTION PLAN LAYS DOWN THE PROCEDURES FOR PROMPT AND TIMELY
ACTIONS THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN. AS SOON AS THE RED TIDE IS DETECTED, ACTIONS ARE
IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATED BY THE NATIONAL RED TIDE RESPONSE TEAM UNDER THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE FISHERIES DEPARTMENT.
ALHAMDULILLAH,
FROM THE CONTINUOUS WATER SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS SINCE THE RED TIDE WAS FIRST
DETECTED IN THE BRUNEI DARUSSALAM’S WATER, THE NUMBER/CONCENTRATION OF THE RED
TIDE ORGANISMS STARTED TO FALL BELOW THE DANGEROUS LEVEL TO HUMAN BEING
AS FROM 12 MARCH AND HAD DISAPPEARED COMPLETELY (ZERO) AS FROM 17 MARCH.
INSYA
ALLAH, WITH THIS SITUATION CONTINUING, WE CAN NOW SAFELY DECLARE THAT THE WATERS
OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM IS CLEAR OF THE RED TIDE AND ALL THE RELATED BAN AND
RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED SINCE 15 FEBRUARY ARE NOW LIFTED.
HOWEVER,
IT HAS TO BE EMPHASISED THAT, SHELLFISH ACCUMULATES A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF
TOXINS. IT IS, THEREFORE, STILL NECESSARY TO CONTINUE NOT TO CONSUME SHELLFISH
FROM THE AFFECTED AREAS UNTIL ANNOUNCED IT IS SAFE TO EAT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
FISHERIES.
AT
THE SAME TIME, SINCE SABAH, MALAYSIA IS STILL NOT CLEARED FROM RED TIDE, THE BAN
ON THE IMPORTATION FROM EAST MALAYSIA STILL NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED.
IT
IS ALSO NECESSARY TO EMPHASISE THAT THE POSSIBLE DANGERS CAUSED BY RED TIDES CAN
NOT BE IGNORED. SO FAR TECHNIQUES TO PREVENT OCCURRENCE OF RED TIDE AS WELL AS
APPROPRIATE VACCINES OR ANTIDOTES TO CURE RED TIDE POISONING HAVE NOT YET BEEN
FOUND OR DEVELOPED. AS SUCH, DURING THE RED TIDE OCCURRENCE, WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS
PREVENTION, UNDERSTANDING AND VIGILANCE AS WELL AS THE FULL COOPERATION OF
EVERYBODY.
IN
THIS REGARD, A BIG THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL RED TIDE ACTION
TEAM, THE MEDIA, FISHERIES INDUSTRY OPERATORS, FISH IMPORTERS, FISH MONGERS ETC.
FOR ALL THE COOPERATION IN
ENSURING THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC/CONSUMERS.
DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES,
MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND PRIMARY RESOURCES,
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
04 SAFAR 1425
25 MARCH 2004.
