‘Massive fish kill’ possible following Mindoro oil spill — Pamalakaya
CLEANUP Personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) sprinkle chemicals to break down the oil that leaked from the sunken oil tanker Princess Empress in this PCG handout photo on Thursday, March 2, 2023. The tanker sank in the waters off Naujan town, Oriental Mindoro, on Tuesday, February 28. —PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD
MANILA, Philippines — Government agencies should be prepared for a widespread fish kill after an oil tanker sank in the waters off Oriental Mindoro, according to fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Thursday.
On February 28, the MT Princess Empress began sinking into the sea, brining with it 800,000 liters of oil. The ensuing oil spill has plunged several municipalities into a state of calamity.
READ: Oil spill puts 8 more towns in Oriental Mindoro in calamity state
“Dapat paghandaan ng mga kinauukulang ahensya ng gobyerno ang posibilidad ng malawakang fish kill at pagbagsak ng huling isda dahil sa oil spill,” said Pamalakaya National Chairperson Fernando Hicap in a statement.
(The appropriate government agencies should brace themselves for the possibility of massive fish kill and the fall of fishing rates because of the oil spill.)
According to Hicap, Palawan and Antique might have different tuna species that might be affected, such as the bullet tuna and skipjack tuna. Seaweed farms may also be negatively impacted by the oil spill, he added.
“Nananawagan kami ng klarong plano ng pamahalaan para sa rehabilitasyon ng mga apektadong bakawan, bahura (coral reefs), at iba pang bahagi ng pangisdaan. Bukod sa paglilinis ng mga kumalat na langis, kailangan ng mga mangingisda, na mahigit isang linggo nang hindi nakakalaot, ng sapat at agarang subsidyo mula sa pamahalaan,” said Hicap.
(We call for a clear plan from the government to rehabilitate affected mangroves, coral reefs, and other fisheries. Other than cleaning the spilled oil, the fisherfolk, who have not been able to fish for more than a week, need proper and immediate subsidies from the government.)
The oil spill threatens to damage different forms of wildlife, including mangroves, seaweeds, and more. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources had said that 21 protected marine areas may be affected.
