Chinese fishery lost 1.08 billion yuan (US$130 million) in 2004 due to water pollution, 370 million yuan more than the previous year, according to a report released by the Ministry of Agriculture and the State Environmental Protection Administration Sunday.

The 2004 China Fishery and Ecological Environment Report shows that 941 pollution accidents occurred in 2004 in the country's fresh water fishing areas and the total polluted area was 211,000 hectares, causing direct economic losses of 190 million yuan.

Seventy-nine accidents in the sea fishery areas resulted in the pollution of 28,000 hectares of sea water and an economic loss worth 890 million yuan, says the report.

Despite the serious pollution in some areas, the entire situation did not deteriorate from the previous year, it says.

According to the report, the main pollutants are found containing elements of nitrogen, phosphorus, oil and copper.

(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2005)