Growers rush emergency harvest as fish kill hits South Cotabato town

KORONADAL CITY — Inclement weather that battered parts of Region 12 or Soccsksargen region the past several days triggered a fish kill in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, forcing tilapia cage growers to harvest and sell their stocks early at lower prices to reduce losses.

Roads in parts of Lake Sebu were lined with newly-harvested tilapia as operators rushed to pull out fish stocks from their cages after another fish kill, locally known as kamahong, struck several areas of the town.

READ: Fish kill in Lake Sebu blamed on ‘habagat’

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Engr. Marvin Aboy, municipal agriculture officer, said the fish kill had affected about 2.8 metric tons, or nearly 2,800 kilograms, of tilapia in Purok Lot 70, Isla Grande, Rosas in Barangay Poblacion, and parts of barangays Bacdulong and Takunel.

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Residents first noticed some tilapia floating dead on the lake on July 8.

By July 9, fish cage operators began harvesting even undersized tilapia to sell them before they could be affected.

As more fish started dying, other operators also carried out emergency harvests on July 10.

Many sold their catch along roadsides to attract buyers. The sudden surge in supply, however, caused tilapia prices to fall as growers tried to recover losses.

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As of July 13, the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMAG) said about 13.5 metric tons, or 13,500 kilograms, of tilapia had been harvested through emergency operations. At least 40 fish cage operators were affected.

Jose Rudy Muyco, the town’s deputy fish warden, said the farmgate price of tilapia dropped from P160 per kilogram to around P140 or even lower, depending on the size of the fish.

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Local officials said the fish kill was likely caused by kamahong, a phenomenon characterized by low dissolved oxygen level in the lake brought about by sudden weather changes and reduced sunlight, which affected photosynthesis.

The Lake Sebu local government and the Department of Agriculture continue to monitor the situation and assess the full extent of the damage. /jpv

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