2 towns in Batangas monitored for fishkill

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna ,Philippines  – At least two towns in Batangas province are under close watch by the Taal Lake Task Force for another possible fishkill due to continuous heavy rains in the region, officials of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 4-A (RDRRMC4-A) said yesterday.

Vicente Tomazar, RDRRMC4-A director said a fish health monitoring team from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) were sent to the municipalities of Laurel and Talisay to check on reports that some tilapia and bangus were found floating along the seashores in Barangay Sampaloc.

Tomazar, however, noted that there is no fishkill at this time.

Batangas Vice Governor Marc Leviste said the task force is also doing its best to prevent another fishkill in Batangas by providing 17 air pumps to enhance the supply of oxygen in fish cages.

The clearing operations against illegal fish cages in four towns in Batangas is also continuing, he said.

Leviste said fish cage operators are advised to strictly implement the prescription issued given by fish health monitoring teams to avoid another massive fishkill. He said fish cage owners and operators were also advised to harvest all marketable size of tilapia and bangus and transfer them to other fish cages to avoid further losses.

BFAR director Asis Perez said the recent fishkill in Laurel and Talisay was due to the overturning of water temperature. He said this is a natural phenomenon that usually occurs on the onset of the rainy season when heavy rains occur after a long dry spell.