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Fish samples near site of North Sea leak pass test

Xinhua, April 12, 2012

Fish sample collected near the site of French oil giant Total's North Sea gas leak has passed a "taste test," said the Scottish government on Wednesday.

The government said in a statement that over the weekend, the marine research vessel Alba na Mara has collected fish, water and sediment samples from the edge of the two-mile exclusion zone around the leaking Elgin platform.

A specially trained panel of sensory testers at Marine Scotland Science in Aberdeen has carried out 210 individual taint tests of the fish samples, and concluded that the samples were untainted by hydrocarbons. The fish samples covered seven species.

Full chemical testing of all environmental samples is continuing, with initial results expected by the end of this week.

"It's reassuring that sensory testing of the fish samples gathered by the Alba na Mara have found they are untainted by hydrocarbons," said Scottish Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead.

Further analysis is under way, he said.

"Marine Scotland Science have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to carry out this work effectively, including the UK's only specially trained sensory panel," he said.

The leak began on March 25 and all 238 workers were evacuated from the platform located in waters less than 100 meters deep and 240 km off the east coast of Scotland.

While environmentalists are worrying about its impact, Lochhead said, "The environmental impact of this gas leak has been minimal so