Offshore water in Yueqing Bay found to be polluted

China Central Television reported on Monday that more than 80 percent of waters off the East China Sea coast were polluted by industrial discharge, and the Yueqing Bay in East China's Zhejiang province is now infertile.

Once home to more than 20 species of fish, 58 species of shellfish and more than 60 species of crustaceans, the Yueqing Bay now emits an unpleasant smell even from 10 kilometers offshore, CCTV reported. The bay, which used to be famous for its marine ranches, is littered with pollutant discharge pipelines along its shore.

Xu Jianping, an oceanic environment professor with the State Oceanic Administration, told CCTV that heavy metals, including lead, cadmium, arsenic and copper, are discharged through the pipeline into the sea, piling up to threaten the fishing industry.

He said the copper in the sediment around Xiangshan Port, the Yueqing Bay and on the mouth of the Jiulongjiang River had exceeded the standard by 41, 50 and 25 percent respectively, adding the waters on the mouth of the Yangtze River and Hangzhou Bay were battling an abundance of cadmium.

Ni Mengle, director of Yueqing oceanic and fishery administration, however, told Zhejiang’s local newspaper Wenzhou City News that many nearby cities and counties, including Taizhou, Wenling, Dongtou and Yongjia have contributed to pollution in the Yueqing Bay.

“It’s a regional issue,” said Ni, during a phone interview with China Daily on Thursday, adding that such pollution issues are hard to fix by one city alone.

He said his administration has proposed drafts to the National People's Congress on lessening pollution in the Yueqing Bay many times but has not received a response.

According to Ni, the half-closed bay used to be bordered by the Yueqing on its west bank and Yuhuan county on its east until Yuhuan blocked the seaport with the building of a 145-meter long dam in 1977 to resolve a transportation concern.

Yueqing Bay’s water circulation therefore extended to 25 days from 10 days, and its water quality got worse. This also resulted in red tide, a common name for a phenomenon caused by large concentrations of aquatic microorganisms that give the water a reddish or brownish color.

Spokeswoman for Yueqing’s local government surnamed Zhu told China Daily that the local Yueqing oceanic and fishery administration will conduct a water quality test on Thursday afternoon.

The results will be determined in a couple days, according to Ni.

Contact the writer at shiyingying@chinadaily.com.cn