Nearly P9M worth of tilapia, bangus affected by Batangas fish kill

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Tuesday said over 100 metric tons of fish were killed in an incident of fish mortality in Talisay, Batangas.

In a statement, BFAR said an estimated volume of 109 MT of bangus and tilapia valued at P8.999 million were lost.

On Monday, BFAR said the water quality assessment report showed that dissolved oxygen in several areas in Taal Lake has registered 2.38 to 3.80 mg/L, which is comparatively lower than the standard level of 5.0 mg/L.

The levels of ammonia and sulfide, meanwhile, are above the standard level which are potentially harmful to fishes, BFAR added.

BFAR said the local government of Talisay and operators of the affected fish cases are already coordinating for the safe collection and disposal of the fishes.

It can be recalled that on July 1, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology placed Taal Volcano under Alert Level 3 following an eruption that gave rise to a kilometer-high phreatomagmatic plume.

Alert Level 3 remains over the volcano.—Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News