Operation to clean up algae for Olympics

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-6-30  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

QINGDAO, which will host the Olympic sailing competitions in August, will spend half a month to clean up the invading algae, the local government announced yesterday.

The sailing-venue city's coastline has been coated with an algae bloom since late May. A bright green covering of algae can be seen smothering beaches and extending out several hundred meters, about 550 kilometers southeast of Beijing.

The algae, enteromorpha prolifera, was firstly detected on May 31, 60 sea miles east of Dagong Island by fishermen and the North China Sea Branch of the State Oceanic Administration.

Experts found the algae was exotic, which flew from the central region of the Yellow Sea, and would have no effect on the water quality of the sea off Qingdao coast.

Wang Shulian, vice director of Qingdao Oceanic and Fishery Department, told reporters that the outbreak of algae had no substantial link to environmental conditions and water quality of Qingdao's offing.

However, the sudden invasion of algae has affected preparations of the sailing teams for the Olympic Games.

Sailors from at least 30 countries and regions are training in Qingdao for the Games, which will open on August 8.

Yuan Zhiping, assistant to the chairman of the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Committee, complained that the algae had covered part of the training area and sometimes blocked the sailing routes.

As of Saturday, the algae had affected a total sea area of 13,000 square kilometers.