By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The devastating fish kill at Magat Dam has inflicted more than ₱120 million in losses on tilapia growers, as prolonged dry weather linked to El Niño continues to take a heavy toll on the country’s aquaculture sector.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the hardest-hit communities are in Alfonso Lista, Ifugao, where damages have reached approximately ₱100 million, while fish farmers in Ramon, Isabela have suffered an additional ₱20 million in losses.
BFAR spokesperson and Cordillera Regional Director Nazario Briguera said the vast majority of tilapia stocks in the affected fish cages have already perished, leaving many operators with little hope of recovering their investments.
The massive fish mortality was first reported on June 23, prompting authorities to investigate the sudden die-off.
According to BFAR, the prolonged spell of extreme heat dramatically lowered the water level of Magat Dam, reducing the amount of dissolved oxygen available in the reservoir. As oxygen concentrations dropped to critical levels, thousands of cultured tilapia were unable to survive.
The bureau explained that fish depend on dissolved oxygen in the water for respiration, and shrinking water volume during severe drought further accelerates oxygen depletion, particularly in densely populated fish cages.
To minimize additional losses, BFAR has urged fish cage operators to immediately harvest any surviving tilapia while they remain marketable.
The agency has also dispatched two refrigerated transport vans to assist in delivering harvested fish from Magat Dam to various public markets, allowing affected growers to salvage part of their production despite the disaster.
Officials continue to monitor water quality in the reservoir as they assess the full impact of the fish kill and determine additional assistance that may be extended to affected aquaculture operators.
ia/xf
