22nd March 2023 – (Hong Kong) A large number of silver and white dead fish washed up on Stanley Back Beach in Hong Kong, covering a third of the beach area, raising concerns about the environment. The fish carcasses extended over 10 metres and emitted an unbearable stench that could be smelled from a distance, including in nearby Stanley Main Street where locals work.
The dead fish incident was first reported on 21st March, and the local residents immediately tried to clear the beach, but they could not keep up with the overwhelming amount of dead fish. On the following day, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) finally dispatched workers to clean up the beach. The workers had to use black bags to collect the fish because of the high volume of dead fish.
The cause of the fish kill incident is unknown, and it is still unclear how the dead fish ended up on the beach. It is believed that the fish kill incident may have affected the local ecology as well as the water quality of the beach, posing a threat to the marine life in the area.
In a separate incident, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today that the Repulse Bay Beach in Hong Kong had found red tide. As a precautionary measure, the department has raised the red flag at the beach and advised the public not to swim in the area until further notice. It is still unknown whether the red tide is related to the dead fish incident at Stanley.
The authorities are monitoring the situation closely and investigating the cause of the incidents.