Fish kill in Southern Cebu?

CEBU, Philippines - Several species of big fish suspected to be killed by cyanide were found floating in the waters of the southern Cebu towns.

Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force (CPAIFTF) field coordinator Jeofrey Merencillo in a meeting yesterday revealed that Tony Villegas of Argao Bantay Dagat Commission, Dalaguete coastal law enforcement coordinator Gil Entoma and other towns reported about the presence of dead fish floating in their territories.

Merencillo said that some of the fishes are locally known as pugapo, suno, pantaan, kitong, and others belonging to grouper and siganid families.

The biggest pugapo that weighed five kilos was retrieved from Oslob, while Samboan was able to get 36 kilos of fish from the waters near its marine sanctuary.

Another ten kilos of dead fish were gathered from the waters of Santander.

Samples of the dead fishes were brought to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for laboratory examination.

Merencillo suspected that cyanide caused the fish kill.

Initial investigation revealed that boats with six to seven persons were seen anchored at the shoreline near the former Argao Beach Club.

However, nobody saw them fishing.

 “Posible sa gabii sila mo-operate, diha nalang sila daan sa sayo pa,” Merencillo told The FREEMAN. (Maybe they only operate at night.)

Merencillo explained that minutes after putting cyanide in the water, smaller fishes are immediately killed.

But it will take hours for the big ones to die and surface.

Merencillo believes that those responsible for the cyanide fishing immediately left the area for fear of getting caught without waiting for the bigger fishes to surface.

Merencillo further said that fish killed by cyanide may be eaten but is not advisable.

Merencillo held a meeting with the South Cebu Coastal Resource Management (CRM) Cluster composed of the towns of Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Santander and Samboan yesterday at the Samboan Municipal Hall.

Bantay Dagat personnel and fisher folks in southern Cebu were told to monitor unsual fishing activities in their area. —/MBG (FREEMAN)