Residents and buyers flocked to buy bangus being sold at a significantly reduced price of P20-30 per kilo in Bolinao, Pangasinan on June 5, 2024.

Many people traveled to the area to take advantage of the low prices.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 1 and local agriculture offices are now investigating the cause of the price drop, which followed a simultaneous harvest by several bangus growers.

FISH KILL

Meanwhile, another video showed bangus floating in fish cages in Bolinao after a sudden rainfall that followed a long period of intense heat. 

The fish kill has raised concerns about water quality, and BFAR is conducting tests in the affected areas to determine its cause.

Dr. Westly Rosario, a fishery expert, said sudden deaths of bangus are typically caused by a lack of dissolved oxygen in the water. 

"Nililinaw ko lang [na] 'yung fishkill ay maaring dulot ng lason [o] oil related, pero ang karaniwang fish kill sa atin ay dulot ng mainit na panahon [na] biglang umulan. Namatay 'yung mga natural mga organisms sa tubig tapos nabubulok, tapos kinapos ng dissolved oxygen kaya may fish kill," Rosario said.

In Dagupan City, Rodolfo Laigue, a bangus grower, said he reduces the amount of feed and performs forced harvests to avoid significant losses.

"Kahit hindi pa pwede i-harvest, ihaharvest mo kasi lalo[ng] malulugi, kailangan ma-harvest," Laigue said.