Fishermen urge thorough probe on Iloilo River fish kill
Small fishermen are calling on the authorities to investigate the cause of the fish kill which occurred in Iloilo River beginning last Saturday.
The fishermen, who depend on the river for their livelihood, called on Mayor Jerry Treñas as well as officials from the City Agriculture Office and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to determine the cause of the fish kill to prevent similar occurrence in the future.
Authorities have yet to check on the cause of the fish kill since there was no work yesterday.
Fishermen and residents along the Iloilo River were greeted Saturday morning with dead fishes and crustaceans floating on the water. The river turned murky and the air reeked of stench from decomposing fishes as the tide swept the dead fishes and crustaceans back to the shore.
The fishermen feared that their livelihood will be affected if the problem is not immediately addressed.
A fisherman expressed that the authorities should check on whether the recent fish kill is caused by pollutants or organic compounds such as molasses. Fishermen were not even sure if their catch from the river at the time of the fish kill was safe for human consumption.
It was learned that the fishermen not only consume their catch but are also sold in the market.
Fish kills are mostly attributed in disease, inorganic compounds, low dissolved oxygen, organic compounds, trauma or physical damage, color/scum/foam, solid wastes, temperature or pollutants.
The News Today (TNT) learned that the previous fish kill in Iloilo River was caused by the inadequate dissolved oxygen. Though, there were beliefs from the fishermen that the previous fish kill was caused by molasses.
Molasses is a syrup remaining after sugar is crystallized out of cane.
Fishermen then suspect the molasses were intentionally dumped in the river. However, no laboratory results came out to confirm the fishermen's suspicions.