China still faces serious problems of pollution in its inshore sea areas, despite the fact that the country's heavily polluted ocean areas were reduced by 7,000 square kilometers to 26,000 square kilometers, according to the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) Friday.

The marine environmental quality report for 2002, released by the SOA Friday showed that the seawater around populous cities and industrial centers suffered the heaviest pollution. Of the four inshore areas of China, the Bohai Sea and the East China Sea suffered most.

Sea water is traditionally categorized into four types: normal sea water which is suitable for all marine life, the second category meets the requirements of marine aquiculture, the third type can only be used as ports, and the fourth or worst is heavily polluted.

About 174,000 square kilometers of ocean areas in China failed to meet the quality of the first type, the report said. Inorganic nitrogen, phosphates and lead were the major pollutants.

The report also revealed that red tides of toxic algae hit China 79 times in 2002, two more than 2001, affecting around 10,000 square kilometers.

The increase of red tides signaled the negative change in the ocean environment, said Wang Fei, SOA spokesman.

In addition, the ecological system in inshore areas was worsening, the report said.

Li Xiaoming, director of the Marine Environmental Protection Department under the SOA said the ecological system in inshore areas is facing increasing pressure due to fast economic growth.

Industrial pollutants and sewage water discharged into the ocean have greatly changed the system and distribution of marine phytoplankton, or microscopic plant life which is the base of marine ecology systems.

The report also said excessive human exploitation of the ocean also caused damage to plants and coral reefs in those areas. Statistics showed that the coral reefs in inshore areas decreased by 80 percent and mangroves, a type of shrub commonly found on tidal shores, reduced by 73 percent, during the past 50 years.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2003)