What’s bad for people, is good for the bangus
HIGH HEAT INDEX
HIGH heat index may be bad for people’s health but it is good for the Dagupan bangus,
Dr. Westly Rosario, retired center chief of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center said he had not heard of complaints from bangus growers in Dagupan city, being the Bangus Capital, nor was he asked about measures to counter the intense heat being experienced in the area.
“Basically, it means there is no problem,” he said. “Overall, the heat is needed because bangus is warm water species and need the heat for their metabolism.,” he added.
Dagupan City recorded the highest heat index at 53°C on May 14, beating its record of 52°C on May 12 and 51°C on May 8..
He said only shallow fishponds encounter problems with the scorching heat.
Rosario said proper bangus density must be observed under a high heat index to ensure that the fish have enough dissolved oxygen level.
He said what is dangerous is when rainfall follows after an extremely hot day, but a drizzle has no negative effect on the bangus.
A sudden heavy rainfall could result in thermal and salinity shock that kill the algae in the fishpond and eventually consume more oxygen that will eventually lead to fish kill.
“Overall, the intense heat is okay with the bangus. No major worries,” Rosario said and simply warned against overstocking and inadequate water level.
Meanwhile, Eduardo Maramba, 66, a businessman and a bangus raiser in Dagupan since he was 12 years old, said growers or producers have learned to adjust especially during intense summer heat.
“The cause of fishkill is low dissolved oxygen level so there should be no overstocking,” he said.
He said bangus eats more when the temperature is hot. The more they eat, the faster they grow, he said. This is the opposite during cold months like in November to January when bangus become sluggish and are lazy to eat, he added.
“In short, what’s bad for humans due to possible heat stroke is good for bangus,” he said. (Eva Visperas)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
