Batangas Fish Kill: Caused by Climate Change

Batangas Fish Kills: Caused by Climate Change
Dead Fish in Batangas

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the fish kills that hit Talisay, Batangas was one of the effects of climate change although they were still conducting research for any other possible causes.

The BFAR had estimated a total of 750 tons of milk fish (Bangus) and Tilapia were being rotten and now caused air pollution to the towns affected. Fish kills were experienced in towns surrounding the Taal Lake such the  town of Cuenca, Laurel, San Nicolas, Agoncillo, Talisay and Tanauan City in Batangas. The worst hit affected area was the town of Talisay, Batangas.

According to Rosario Del Mundo of BFAR Batangas, the fish kill was the worst disaster caused by the climate change to hit Batangas province. Reported decreased of oxygen level was first experienced on Thursday and on the next day Friday, the cultured fish began dying.

Rosario Del Mundo head of BFAR Batangas was quoted as saying “If the dissolved oxygen drops and it rains, the fish cannot breathe and it dies,” she said in an interview with Philippine Daily Inquirer. The onset of rainy seasons had been experienced in Batangas caused sudden temperature drop and depleted oxygen level on the lake.

The number of deaths of fish in Batangas could possibly get higher once those commercial fish cage owners which were mostly Chinese gave their detail of damages on their private fish cages. With an estimated total of over 6,000 fish cages surrounding the Taal Lake, substantial amount were expected to get lost.

Local government units had done their parts in helping the community affected by the fish kills. Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos Recto had sent a backhoe to help the clearing operations while Talisay Mayor Zenaida Mendoza had already ordered the residents to not eat the dead fish instead she told her constituents to help bury the fish.

The dead fish were disposed in an upland area in Sampaloc, Batangas. Before it was buried, the residents used a mixture of sand and lime to dispel the foul odor which the residents were constantly complaining. According to the latest reports from ABS-CBN, the residents of Talisay, Batangas were now calling on the attentions of government officials for help because fishing is their only source of income.

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