Fishponds drying up in La Union

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, Philippines – Some 16 hectares of fishponds in three villages here are drying up, an official said yesterday. 

The fishponds in Barangays Biday, Bangcusay and Dalumpinas Este have low water level, city fishery coordinator Dolores Gurtiza said.

 Gurtiza said the tributaries of Carlatan River, which supplies water to fishponds, has been clogged by sand from San Fernando Bay. 

She said the low water supply started in December, causing fish kill and early harvests for the pond owners. Some P300,000 worth of milkfish and tilapia were reported killed due to the dry spell. 

“This has been a perennial problem of fishpond owners because of the low level of water coming from the sea,” said Gurtiza.   

At a seminar recently conducted for fishpond owners and caretakers, Gurtiza and provincial aquaculturist Apolinario Peralta advised them to stock up fish only during the rainy season.

Peralta also warned pond operators against releasing fingerlings from November to December, saying these might be affected by the dry spell. 

Pond owners were also told to dredge waterways at the onset of summer.