BFAR: At least P12M worth of losses recorded due to fish kill in Lake Sebu

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Wednesday said at least P12 million worth of losses were recorded due to fish kill in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.

At a public briefing, BFAR Information and Fisherfolk Coordination Unit chief Nazario Briguera said the fish kill was possibly due to dissolved oxygen depletion in the lake, changes in the weather, and pollution.

Briguera said that fish kill also occurred in the lake last year due to the depletion of the dissolved oxygen level.

He said that they recommended to the local government unit (LGU) the regulation of fish cages in the lake to avoid overcrowding.

“Meron po talagang nangyayari diyan na overcrowding dahil sabi ko nga ang posibleng dahilan ng fish kill ay yung pollution. Yung mga unconsumed feeds doon sa mga pinapakain sa mga isda at possible rin nagkakaroon ng pagkaharang ng mga daluyan ng tubig at naapektuhan yung sirkulasyon ng tubig doon sa lugar,” he said.

(There is overcrowding going on there and the possible cause of fish kill is pollution. The unconsumed feeds that are fed to the fish and also the possible blockage of the waterways and the circulation of water in the area is affected.)

“Kaya nga nagkaroon ng rekomendasyon ang BFAR sa LGU na kung puwedeng seryosong ipatupad yung pag-regulate ng paglalagay ng fish cages dahil ayon sa ating batas pangisdaan kailangan nasa 10% lamang ang ginagamit na bahagi ng isang lawa para masabi nating sustainable ito. Pero kung hindi tayo nagkakamali, sa ngayon nasa 23% ang ginagamit diyan sa Lake Sebu para sa fish farming at hindi ito makakabuti sa lawa,” he added.

(The BFAR recommended to the LGU that it implement the regulation on the placement of fish cages because according to our fisheries law, only 10% of the lake must be used for us to say it is sustainable. But if we are not mistaken, right now at least 23% is used there in Lake Sebu for fish farming and it is not good for the lake.)

He added that the government is continuously encouraging good aquaculture practices to avoid these incidents.

The BFAR earlier said that eight coastal areas in the country have tested positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) or toxic red tide beyond the regulatory limit.

The agency said all types of of shellfish and acetes, also known as alamang, collected from the following areas are not safe for human consumption: coastal waters of Milagros, Masbate; Panay, Capiz; President Roxas, Capiz; Pilar, Capiz; Dauis, Bohol; Tagbilaran City, Bohol; Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; and Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur. —KG, GMA Integrated News