Ifugao fishkill caused by sulfur

LAGAWE, Ifugao — High sulfur concentration in the water caused the fish kill in low-lying towns of this province last week which resulted in losses amounting to P30 million.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources bared this after their probe results of several laboratory tests of water samples taken from the affected fish ponds showed sulphuric water coming from the eroded mountain caused the death of thousands of tilapia in the municipalities of Lamut and Lagawe.

BFAR representatives said explained that continuous rains in northern Luzon last week eroded the top portion of one of the mountains here, bringing down sulphuric water to the Ibulao River.

The Ibulao River is the source of fresh water of all the fish ponds in the two municipalities where the fish kill happened.

Since rains started, water running in the Ibulao River had a murky color which caused alarm among fisherfolk and farmers whose production of fishes and agricultural crops were greatly affected by the bad state of water supplying their fish ponds and farms.

At the same time, the BFAR office based in the Cordillera and the Provincial Agriculture and Environment Office found another reason why there was a sudden fish kill in the two towns is that people living along the Ibulao River, the largest river system in the province, throw their garbage in the river which has contributed in the worsening pollution of the body of water providing water supply for fish ponds and farms below it.

Considering the lack of fish supply in the province due to the fish kill, prices of tilapia, popularly raised in the fresh waters here, have gone up to P100 per kilo which is way beyond the gate price and the previous prevailing prices.

As initial assistance to affected fisherfolk, the provincial government distributed free fingerlings to affected fish producers.

Moreover, the provincial and municipal governments will conduct a frequent monitoring of the households living along the river in order to prevent them from dumping their wastes in the water which could result to massive pollution and again affect the fish production of fisherfolk living below it who use the water for their fish ponds.

Aside from rice and vegetable farming, fish production is one of the major sources of livelihood of the people, especially those living in the low-lying areas, because of the abundant water supply from the Cordillera watersheds.

The BFAR will also distribute the needed assistance to affected fisherfolks for them to recover losses which they suffered due to the fish kill that affected over 40 hectares if fish ponds in the two towns. – Dexter A. See