24-HOUR FISH KILL WATCH

THE Dagupan City government has began inspecting all cargo trucks loaded with bangus passing through the city’s entry points to prevent the entry of bangus sourced from a massive fish kill that broke out last Thursday in Anda.

This, after the City Agriculture Office (CAO) and police intercepted on June 2 three cargo trucks loaded with several metric tons of bangus found unfit for human consumption.

Dagupan City Police said the drivers of seized cargo trucks were arrested when they failed to present Auxiliary Invoices to personnel of CAO.

The truck drivers and the owners of the seized shipment were charged with violations of the City Fishing Ordinance no.1768-2003 Section 73, PD 856 and City Ordinance no.1927-2009 or Sanitation Code (No Sanitary Permit and Health Certificate Card).

The fish kill occurred along the Caquiputan Channel in Anda town as an aftermath of heavy rains that caused decaying commercial feed from the bottom of the sea and river to surface and disturb the quality of the water.

Mayor Belen Fernandez, who has been personally inspecting the consignation market, has ordered CAO to closely watch all consignacion wholesalers, retailers and suppliers who could be tolerating the delivery and sale of contaminated bangus since this could adversely affect the price of the Dagupan bangus.

Prices of bangus from fish kill-affected areas in western Pangasinan reportedly dropped to P1,000 per “banyera” or P30 per kilo.

Dr. Ophelia Rivera, City Health Officer of Dagupan, confirmed that consumption of bangus from fish kill can lead to allergic reaction causing itchiness as well as stomach ache and diarrhea or loose bowel movement.

To ensure that the confiscated fish were not recycled and sold to consumers, it was  buried in an open area at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Bonuan Binloc.

Meanwhile, Mayor Fernandez assured residents that no fish kill occurred in Dagupan because of the continuous cleaning of the coastal waters and rivers by the city government.

“We are managing our rivers, from where 928 fish pens were demolished since I started as Mayor. It took us five years to clean our rivers through consultations with stakeholders, and also we didn’t allow investors from outside Dagupan to exploit our rivers,” she added.

“Today our waters are clear and the oysters are back. Our bangus industry is well protected,” said Fernandez. (CIO/LGB)

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