BFAR: No fish kill in Ibo, Lapu-Lapu

CEBU, Philippines - The local fishing community of sitio Apro, Barangay Ibo, Lapu-lapu City yesterday discovered and collected “buckets by buckets” of dead fish floating at their seawaters.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7 office immediately dispatched a five-man team composed of their laboratory chief, a chemist and three aides to investigate the incident.

BFAR assistant regional director, Alan Poquita told The FREEMAN that the team collected samples to be examined for alleged contaminations from nearby companies.

Poquita had asked their team to hasten their examination after he received reports of dead fish collected by the residents.

“Daghan’g mga tawo ang nanguha, nakuyawan mi sa mga tawo nga maka-kakon unya weak og resistensya,” Poquita stressed. (A lot of people were collecting the dead fish, and we are apprehensive about risks to their health.)

When the team returned from the site, however, Poquita said there was no fish kill and that the reports are not true.

“Ingon akong gipadala walay nangamatay. Ang problema way problema! Haka-haka ran na, walay nangamatay mga isda, nag padaplin lang,” he said. (The team said there was no dead fish. There is really no problem.)

A television news report yesterday afternoon, however, showed a footage of some dead fish in Ibo.

Residents from the affected areas blame two companies situated near the coast to have caused the incident.After their laboratory examination, the BFAR 7 will endorse their results to the Lapu-Lapu City Government for evaluation and appropriate administrative actions.

Poquita denies the claim of some residents that similar incidents happened in 2002 and 2008.

Meanwhile, a certain Delsie Mori experienced dizziness, stomachache and vomiting after eating fish that his son collected from the shores.

They had cooked these for breakfast.

The Lapu-Lapu City Health Office ordered residents not to eat fish from the area. 

 City Administrator Teodulo Ybañez yesterday said he immediately requested City Health Officer Dr. Rodulfo Berame to conduct an investigation and to take water samples in the area.

 Ybañez said that BFAR was also called in to take fish samples on the cause of death and he was assured that laboratory results will be available in four days.

 He called the barangay captains of both Ibo and Pusok to conduct an information drive to inform residents along the coastline to refrain from eating the dead fishes and from selling these because of health concerns.

The city government will also coordinate with PEZA, which has jurisdiction over the locators.

Barangay Ibo is the site of Mepz 1 and East Asia Utilities which are under the direct supervision of PEZA. (FREEMAN)