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May 31, 2016

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Home » Metro » Health and Science

Seawater research vessel returns

A Shanghai-based research vessel has completed a one-month water sample and data collection mission that will provide the basis for the government’s annual East China Sea environment report.

The State Oceanic Administration East China Sea branch’s Xiangyanghong 28 returned to Shanghai on Sunday.

According to the branch, 4,000 seawater samples and 6,000 sets of data were collected from over 236 inspection points in the East China Sea during its 25-day voyage.

The samples and data will be analyzed at a laboratory and a report, which will be used in the government’s annual sea environment evaluation, will be released in about a month’s time.

“Some inspection spots have been arranged near the Yangtze River Estuary,” said Li Yang, a member of Xiangyanghong 28’s crew. “We collected data on chemical oxygen demand, heavy metals, salt, etc. They will tell us how much pollution is carried into the East China Sea by the Yangtze River in different seasons.”

The administration holds four “health checks” of the East China Sea every year. According to Jin Zuowen, director of the administration’s environmental protection division, the health checks help to monitor whether seawater quality is up to standard.

“China’s anti-water pollution plan requires that 70 percent of the seawater in China’s offshore areas meet Level 1 or Level 2 standards by 2020,” Jin told Shanghai Daily.

According to China’s seawater quality standard, water reaching Level 1 can be used in natural protection regions. Level 2 is acceptable for aquaculture or outdoor bathing. Level 3 is for industrial or landscaping use, and Level 4 is acceptable for ports.

“In Fujian Province, over 70 or 80 percent of seawater is of good quality, while in Shanghai, the figure is often less than 10 percent, said Jin. “The pollution is caused by various factors including manufacturing and other human activity. And the situation keeps changing in different seasons.”

The 2015 China Sea environment report showed the water quality in Hangzhou Bay, an inlet of the East China Sea bordered by Shanghai and Zhejiang Province, was below Level 4.

The Shanghai Ocean Bureau has unveiled improvement plans including developing a coastal shelter forest in the Pudong New Area, as well as an ocean park and wetland in the districts of Jinshan and Fengxian.




 

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