GEORGE TOWN: A red tide may have swept into the sea here to cause the waters off Teluk Bahang and Teluk Kumbar to appear polluted, Penang executive councillor Phee Boon Poh said today.
Department of Environment (DOE) has collected water samples but has yet to spot red tide patches although a fisherman reported seeing it.
“It can either be a sediment cloud or a red tide patch. We prefer to conclude only if we see the samples under (the) microscope,” Phee said.
Red tide occurs when a large concentration of algae discolours coastal waters. The last sighting of red tide was off Sabah in 2015.
Phee also said that the Marine Department has been directed to assist the DOE on investigating the claims made by the fisherman and some tourists.
Earlier, Penang Forum executive council member Khoo Salma Nasution posted on social media that a fisherman noticed a red patch in waters off Teluk Bahang.
“We do not know what is beneath our sea,” Khoo said.
“The recent rough weather may have unearthed new evidence of pollutants.
“The state must investigate.”
She said pollutants had been harming the sea here for a long period due to many environment degradation activities which had gone unchecked.
“We must also know if our excess reclamation may have done damage to our seabed where at risk are aquaculture cages and other marine resources,” Khoo added.
