Fish kill hits Bolinao town in Pangasinan

Up to 20 percent of fish cages and fish pens in Bolinao town in Pangasinan province were affected by fish kill over the weekend, the local agriculture office said in an interview with GMA Dagupan's Jasmin Gabriel on Tuesday.

 

Agriculture officials said the fish kill may be due to the sudden drop in the levels of dissolved oxygen after rain fell on the area last weekend.

 

"Mabuti nga at hindi masyadong malaki ang naging damage sa amin," said Bolinao town council agriculture committee chairman Jasmin Camba.

 

On Monday, Bolinao Mayor Arnold Celeste inspected the area and saw some dead bangus floating in the water.

 

The mayor coordinated with the Coast Guard for a cleanup of the site.

 

"Yung mga fish pen operators cooperative naman. Inilagay nila lahat sa sako yung mga bangus at itinapon namin sa landfill namin," he said.

 

Even before the fish kill, the town agriculture office had advised fish pen operators to harvest their fish early especially when rain becomes frequent.

 

"Sa ganitong panahon talagang kinakailangang magbawas ng bangus," Camba added. — Joel Locsin/ELR, GMA News