Massive fish kill hits Isabela fish farms

SANTIAGO CITY — Fish cage operators at the Magat Dam in Ramon, Isabela have suffered millions of pesos in losses after a massive fish kill, believed to have been caused by oxygen depletion amid prolonged hot weather.

The fish kill, which began on Wednesday and worsened on Thursday, struck just days before many growers were scheduled to harvest their stocks.

READ: BFAR: Algal blooms caused fish kill in Cavite

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“The fish were supposed to be harvested next week. Now, we’ve lost our investment,” said fish cage operator Lorena Bulaay-Dacuycuy, whose cages contained about 3,000 kilograms of tilapia.

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Her sister, Krizty Purugganan-Dacuycuy, said it was the first time their family had experienced such losses, which reached about P1 million after around 15,000 kilograms of fish died.

Charlie Nayona also reported losing about P170,000 after 4,500 kilograms of fish perished. Most of the dead fish were either discarded or processed into animal feed.

The fish kill has affected around 30 fish cage operators in the area.

To recover part of their investment, growers have been forced to sell still-edible fish for only P30 to P50 per kilogram, far below the usual P140 to P180 market price.

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“We’re selling them almost for free just to recover some money,” said fish grower Emily Chilagan.

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The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the fish kill was likely caused by oxygen depletion, or hypoxia, brought about by prolonged high temperatures, poor water circulation, pollution from accumulated organic matter, algal blooms, and sudden environmental changes.

Provincial fisheries officials are still validating the extent of the losses.

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The incident follows a similar fish kill reported last week in Sanchez Mira, Cagayan, where low oxygen levels forced milkfish growers to harvest thousands of kilograms of bangus ahead of schedule, resulting in significant financial losses. /dp