ALBURQUERQUE. – The reported fish kill that occurred recently in this coastal town may not be totally left unnoticed as some residents belonging to “Nagkahiusang Alburanons” raised the issue Facebook where it expressed deep concern over marine ecosystems. The Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) provincial head Crescencio Pahamutang confirmed that indeed there was some fish kill. It was not immediately known what was the extent of the fish kill and what are the causes, said the “Nagkahiusang Alburanons.” But they got angry somehow why there was no immediate action on the part of the technicians involved. In her facebook account, municipal technician Dolores Cagoco, said: “Sad to say didto nako sa BFAR gahapon unja kay di nadaw pwede ma examine ang mga samples kay nabahu na ug matud pa sa BFRA Cebu laboratory cyanide ra pod ila exam. Ug di napod maseguoro unsa jud hinungdan tungod kay bahu na ang isda hasta pod ang tubig sa dagat …sa RHU la pako mahibawo naa naba result.”

In an interview, Pahamutang explained that BFAR cannot conduct a laboratory examination of the fish kill samples since the samples were presented too late and they were in a state of de-compostion. BFAR said that whenever there is occurrence like fish kill, samples should immediately be brought to their office as these were to be sent to Cebu for laboratory test because Bohol has no facilities for this, Pahamutang said. Fishkill is also known as fish population mortality that may also affects aquatic life, according to Wikipedia. “The most common cause is reduced oxygen in the water, which in turn may be due to factors such as drought, algae bloom, overpopulation, or a sustained increase in water temperature.” Water pollution from agricultural runoff or biotoxins, oxygen pletion are blamed and the most common natural causes of fish kills. Others include droughts, waste spills and hazardous wastes due to chemicals washed to the sea and native cyanide-producing vines poisonous to aquatic life. (RVO)