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Decaying algae causes stench, fish kill in Muntinlupa pens

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Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - An excessive growth of decaying algae has not just brought a disturbing stench to residents living along the coast of Laguna de Bay, but also caused a fish kill affecting fish pens in Muntinlupa City’s Barangay Bayanan.Jaime Arevalo of the Lake Management Office of Muntinlupa City said algae bloom yearly in Laguna de Bay due to the summer heat.“Nag-start &#x27;yan mga May, mga April nung sobrang init, diyan na nag-form ang liya. Sa sobrang init ng panahon, nabuo siya, tapos ang hangin pa natin amihan, kaya tinaboy siya sa tabi,” Arevalo said.(It started in May, April, when it was very hot, that&#x27;s when it formed. Because of too much heat, it formed and the northeast monsoon blew it to the coast.)“Pag naiipon sa tabi, kakapal at unti-unting mabubulok, kaya nagkakaamoy,” he added.(When that happens, they get thick and they rot, that causes the foul smell.)The decaying algae has been emitting a foul smell that has troubled residents for almost a month now.This has also caused problems for fish pen owners and operators.Arevalo shared that last May 10, some 200 kilos of bangus and tilapia in 2-hectare fish pens of the Muntinlupa City government were affected by a fish kill.The excessive algae growth is believed to have affected the oxygen level in the water.Arevalo said bangus feed on the algae, but the oversupply has become problematic. “Magiging cause din ng fish kill. Lack of oxygen sa kapal ng pumapasok sa fish pen.”(It would eventually cause a fish kill. Lack of oxygen because of the thick algae entering the fish pen.)He also expressed fears that harvested fish might develop off-flavor tastes should algae growth and decay continue in the next three to four weeks.“Lasang burak. Magkakalasa na ang isda. Pero sa ngayon wala pa naman,” Arevalo said.(It would taste like bog. The fish will have a weird taste. But as of now, that has not happened yet.)For now, there’s nothing much fish pen operators and residents can do to solve the problem.Arevalo said their only hope is rain.“Wala namang puwedeng gawin kundi antayin nalang ang pag-ulan,” he said.(There&#x27;s nothing else we could do but to wait for rain.)

MANILA - An excessive growth of decaying algae has not just brought a disturbing stench to residents living along the coast of Laguna de Bay, but also caused a fish kill affecting fish pens in Muntinlupa City’s Barangay Bayanan.

MANILA - An excessive growth of decaying algae has not just brought a disturbing stench to residents living along the coast of Laguna de Bay, but also caused a fish kill affecting fish pens in Muntinlupa City’s Barangay Bayanan.

Decaying algae causes stench, fish kill in Muntinlupa pens

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Decaying algae causes stench, fish kill in Muntinlupa pens

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 08, 2019 05:08 PM PHT

Read More:

Muntinlupa

fish pens

Laguna Lake

lake

algae

health

fish kill

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