Camille Naredo

Fish kill is observed at tilapia farms in Magat Darm. Handout/BFAR

Article (news)

BFAR

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783119840184viber_image_2026-07-04_06-56-53-391.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Fish kill is observed at tilapia farms in Magat Darm. Handout/BFAR"/>Fish kill is observed at tilapia farms in Magat Darm. Handout/BFAR</div>MANILA -- The fish kill affecting tilapia farms in Magat Dam, spanning Isabela and Ifugao, has now caused losses exceeding ₱100 million, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).Speaking on the &quot;&#x27;Yan Tayo&quot; program on DZMM Teleradyo, BFAR Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Director and bureau spokesperson Nazario Briguera said the damage in Alfonso Lista, Ifugao has reached about P100 million, while losses in Ramon, Isabela have exceeded P20 million, bringing the total estimated damage to around P120 million.&quot;Yung stocks doon ay halos majority ay wala na halos at dahil nga sa nangyaring fish kill dyan po sa Magat Dam,&quot; Briguera said.Fish mortality among tilapia raised in fish cages at Magat Dam was first observed on June 23.Authorities linked the incident to the extreme heat brought by El Niño, which caused water levels in Magat Dam to drop significantly.&quot;Ang nangyari po kasi, dahil sa sobrang init, bumaba ang level ng tubig dyan sa Magat Dam at kapag bumaba po ang level ng tubig nangangahulugan din dito ng pagbagsak ng tinatawag natin na dissolved oxygen level. Ito po yung form of oxygen na hinihinga ng mga isda, ibig sabihin kapag mas mababa ang level ng tubig,&quot; Briguera explained.BFAR has advised fish cage operators to conduct an emergency harvest of the remaining live tilapia so they can still be sold, allowing fish farmers to recover part of their losses.To support the emergency harvest, BFAR has also deployed two refrigerated vans to transport the harvested tilapia from Magat Dam to public markets.

The fish kill affecting tilapia farms in Magat Dam, spanning Isabela and Ifugao, has now caused losses exceeding ₱100 million, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

The fish kill affecting tilapia farms in Magat Dam, spanning Isabela and Ifugao, has now caused losses exceeding ₱100 million, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

BFAR: El Niño-driven fish kill at Magat Dam tops P100-M

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BFAR: El Niño-driven fish kill at Magat Dam tops P100-M

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 04, 2026 07:25 AM PHT

Read More:

Fish Kill

Magat Dam

El Nino

BFAR

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

fisheries

agriculture

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