BFAR: Algal blooms caused fish kill in Cavite

MANILA, Philippines — Algal blooms were discovered as the cause of the fish kill in Cañacao Bay, Cavite City, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) spokesperson Nazario Briguera said on Thursday.

Philippine Coast Guard Cavite substation reported on Monday that tons of dead blackchin tilapia, locally known as “tilapia arroyo,” were floating in the bay.

“Kapag may mga fish kill, ang primary na dahilan talaga ‘yung pagbagsak ng dissolved oxygen level,” Briguera said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing.

(When there are fish kills, the primary reason is the drop in dissolved oxygen level.)

“Pero pinatignan din natin kung bakit nagkaroon ng pagbagsak ng dissolved oxygen level, and as of yesterday [November 15], may inilabas na bagong resulta ang aming laboratoryo at lumalabas nagkaroon po ng algal bloom doon sa area,” he added.

(But we also looked into the reason for the drop in the dissolved oxygen level, and as of yesterday [November 15], our laboratory released new results, and it appears that there was an algal bloom in the area.)

Briguera explained that algal blooms occur when there is an increase in the water’s micronutrients, leading to the depletion of oxygen.

“Likas na nangyayari po ‘yan sa ating kalikasan lalo na sa ating mga katubigan, sa marine waters. Hindi po natin malalaman kung kailan ‘yan susulpot at kailan din mawawala,” the BFAR spokesperson said.

(This happens naturally in nature, especially in our waters, in marine waters. We don’t know when it will appear or disappear.)

Since algal blooms are a natural phenomenon, Briguera noted that there is not much that can be done to prevent them.

“May mga literature na nagsasabi na factor iyan [pollution], pero ang algal bloom po kasi could be attributed to the changing temperature,” he said.

(There is literature that says pollution is a factor, but the algal bloom could be attributed to the changing temperature.)

No significant effect

Briguera noted that the fish kill has no significant impact on the livelihood of fishermen in the area since blackchin tilapia has no commercial value.

“Hindi po ito farm tilapia at wala po itong masyadong commercial value, so in terms of fishing activity, tuloy pa naman ‘yung mga mangingisda natin sa Manila Bay,” he explained.

(This is not farm tilapia, and it does not have much commercial value, so in terms of fishing activity, our fishermen in Manila Bay can continue their livelihood.)

There were also no other Cavite areas reported to have been affected by the fish kill, he added.

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