It’s been a bad news for Filipino’s to learn that their favorite “Relyenong Bangus and Sinigang na Bangus sa Bayabas” will no longer be served, (for now, I hope so…), in their dining tables. Last week, shocking news came out in the provinces of Batangas and Pangasinan; a massive fish kill hit 5 towns and a city in Batangas and 2 towns in Pangasinan.
Actually, I don’t have any idea what fish kill is, or the reason why it happens and how it will affect our lives and nature. The term “fish kill” also known us fish die-off or fish mortality in Britain, is a localized die-off of fish populations which may also be associated with more generalized mortality of aquatic life.
According to Nestor Domenden, regional director of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), said the sudden change in temperature due to heavy rains following warm days and the drop in the dissolved oxygen level in the water caused the fish kill. Domenden said the dissolved oxygen level in the Kakiputan Channel in Anda and Bolinao last Sunday was 0.9 milligrams per liter (mg/l), way below the 4 mg/l minimum level where fish could survive. Prestiliano Onzaga, fishery extension worker of the Anda town government, said some 50 tons of bangus cultured in fish cages in the Kakiputan Channel and in the waters off the villages of Awag and Narra in Anda turned belly up. Fred Garcia, fishery and agriculture management council officer of Bolinao town, said at least 50 fish cages in the villages of Culang and Catubig were also hit by the fish kill. Garcia said between 15 and 20 tons of bangus were killed in the town.
While in Batangas, BFAR explained that a sudden change in water temperature of a lake surrounding a restive volcano in the Philippines has killed more than 700 metric tons of fish. The bureau said 752 metric tons of milkfish and tilapia have been found floating in Taal Lake, which surrounds Taal Volcano, since Friday.
The volcano has been showing signs of heightened activity since April, when the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised its five-tiered alert level to two.
In its latest bulletin, the institute said it recorded 10 volcanic quakes in the past 24 hours and elevated carbon dioxide emissions that indicated magma was moving towards the surface.
The fish kill was then largely attributed to climate change that triggers the abnormal shift of temperatures within a very short time range.
Although there are some other factors that are being considered such as poisoning and sabotage but the observed sudden temperature change has the most likely acceptable explanation that the farmers would wanted to hear.
As of this writing, the farmers are hoping that the local government of the area and the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will join hands in helping them cope up with this tragic loss of livelihood most especially that enrollment period of their respective children will soon commence this first week of June.
Actually, my heart not only goes for the farmers but also to the fish vendors which we know for a fact that this is their bread and butter. I feel sad seeing their faces on Television having hard time convincing their customers to buy “bangus and tilapia” from them, even their all-time “suki” is afraid to try it. And we can not blame them because their also worried on the effects of eating dead fish. Consumers nowadays are intelligent enough to know what and where to buy their needs. Do we still remember when “Botcha”and Bird’s Flu came out and spread out in some wet markets in Manila, people had been aware and decided to look for the stamp or markings’ coming from BFAD to make sure it is safe to eat.
Last night when I watch “24 Oras” hosted by Mike Enriquez and Mel Tiangco, I learned that if we accidentally ate dead fish or “bangus” which have been harvest in the fish kill, will lead us to food poisoning, sterility and other stomach disorders. I haven’t heard of any fatal effect that might lead to death but I’m pretty much sure if children will be the one to ingest it, it may likely happen.
I love eating “bangus”, it’s my favorite especially the belly part, though it has a lot of fish bone too. I just wish everything will be back to normal. Let this be a lesson to all of us to take care of our environment, “Bangus” is our country’s pride and no other fish in the world can beat its unique and distinctive taste.
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