Belated report confirms Tilapia fishkill in Bato Lake

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BATO, CamSur — A belated report on Tilapia fishkill in Lake Bato of Camarines Sur was recently confirmed by the municipal agriculture office here.

The downpour of rain after long sunny days has brought about fishkill in 70 percent of the fish cages of “tilapia” in the lake.

This report was a confirmation from MAO Alejandro Pili that there are 18,770 fish cages of tilapia being grown in the 2,810-hectare Lake Bato, which is sandwiched by three barangays of Libon, Albay, and 16 barangays of Bato, Camarines Sur.

Pili said the peak of the fishkill was from May 7-10.

The cause of fishkill was attributed to oxygen depletion as the result of decaying plankton submerged at the bottom of the lake.

The micro-organisms that break down the decaying plankton consumed much of the oxygen in the water, causing the depletion at the same time that ammonia dissolved in the water increased.

Those affected by fishkill were of marketable of 3-5 fingers in sizes.(from belated PNA report by John Mark Escandor)

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