Koronadal City – Lake Sebu is currently grappling with a significant fish kill incident that has affected numerous fish cage operators, forcing them to conduct emergency harvests.
Rudy Muyco, Lake Warden of Lake Sebu, confirmed the incident in an interview with Bombo Radyo Koronadal. The affected barangays include Bacdulong and Población.
The primary cause of the fish kill is believed to be a depletion of dissolved oxygen in the water, attributed to pollution from chemicals and the proliferation of bacteria. Another possible factor is the use of poor-quality water.
A total of 30 tons of fish were affected, with 5 tons reported dead.
Muyco noted that this fish kill is more severe compared to previous years, mainly due to the high demand and increased prices of seafood.
Authorities are now focused on harvesting the remaining healthy tilapia, which have been starved for a week to reach marketable size. The two affected barangays remain under observation.