THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Region 1 clarified on Friday that there were no recent fish kill incidents in Western Pangasinan, contrary to a recent report in a national newspaper.

Mary Ann Salomon, provincial fishery officer of BFAR-Pangasinan, said the agency’s latest monitoring of aquaculture zones found no evidence to support the claims of fish kills.

Ronald Eugenio, the aquaculture operator mentioned in the report said he “did not make any statement about a fish kill in Pangasinan,” he told the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in an interview.

“While extreme heat and rain can contribute to fish kills, other factors like overcrowding, overfeeding, low oxygen levels, and sudden water temperature changes are also typically at play,” Salomon clarified.

She also encouraged fish farmers to adopt responsible practices to minimize aquatic pollution and boost productivity which include regular removal of accumulated waste from mariculture farms, stop installing new fish pens, eliminating pole staking for fish/shellfish farming that prevent water flow obstruction, observing recommended distances for aquaculture and fishing structures through zonation plans, practicing optimal stocking densities, using high-quality feed, and implementing proper feeding practices, maintaining effective waste management strategies and implementing “fallow periods” in fish cage operations.

Salomon said BFAR is constantly monitoring the province’s mariculture areas through water quality testing and parameter checks. (PIA Pangasinan/EMSA)

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