Bolinao, Anda hit by fish kill anew

By May 5, 2015Headlines, News

BOLINAO—The fisherfolk of Anda and Bolinao towns rejoiced over the declaration of their coasts as red tide- free but it was short-lived after waking up to another environmental catastrophe – a series of fish kills that resulted in losses of millions of pesos worth of bangus spawned by extremely hot climate and intermittent rain.

Over the weekend, April 25 and 26, fish kills hit the two towns and affected about 500 tons of bangus.

Bolinao Mayor Arnold Celeste said that another fish kill occurred early morning of Wednesday, April 29, that prompted bangus producers to harvest prematurely.

First District Rep. Jesus Celeste, brother of the mayor, said at least the bangus raisers still managed to sell more than half of their produce before all could be lost.

The mayor said the latest fish kill occurred in the coastal barangay of Luna. Earlier hit over the weekend were barangays Pilar, Luciente I and Luciente II, all part of Cacquiputan Channel.

He, however, still could not give an estimate of the losses of the fish pen and cage operators since everyone was still busy clearing their respective areas.

Tons of dead bangus were buried in the town’s sanitary landfill while other bangus raisers simply allowed barangay residents to take home whatever they could.

There were more losses over the weekend’s fish kills than yesterday, the mayor added.

Mayor Celeste said the bangus growers noted the change of color of the coastal water when rains came unexpectedly in the middle of the hot season.

He remained confident that the fish kill here would not affect the town’s tourism industry since the fish pens and fish cages are located away from the beach and other tourist destinations.

Mr. Celeste said he would advise bangus growers to suspend any plan to put in new stocks of bangus frys in their pens and cages until the water temperature returns or until the rainy season sets in when the infected water is flushed out to the sea.

The nearby town of Anda in Barangay Siapar also experienced a fish kill but extent of losses were not ascertained at presstime.

Meanwhile, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 1 Director Nestor Domenden said in a separate interview that they are still conducting examination to find out the cause of the fish kills.

Dagupan City which is the center of fish trading in Pangasinan has imposed a ban on the sale of bangus from Bolinao and Anda following the recent fish kill incidents. (Tita Roces)

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