‘Water quality between fishkill site, mine area within standards’

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said yesterday it could not determine the possible cause of the recent fishkill in Rapu-Rapu Island in Albay, but declared that the quality of marine waters between the fishkill site and a mining area there is within standards.

Based on initial findings, a composite team of technical experts from the DENR’s Bicol office said the reported dead fish were confined within a 50-meter radius of the Rapu-Rapu pier, which is some 10 kilometers away from the polymetallic project of Lafayette Philippines.

DENR-Region 5 director Reynulfo Juan said there was no indication of massive fishkills in the shorelines of Barangays Carogcog, Sta. Barbara, Malobago, Pagcolbon and Binowasan, as the village heads stated in their certifications and based on the ocular inspection of the DENR investigating team.

“About 20 kilograms or around two sacks of dead fish were collected near the pier,” Juan said, quoting a report of the local police.

Juan said the DENR could not determine the possible cause of the fishkill since this expertise lies with other competent authorities like the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

He said they have sought BFAR’s assistance for an extensive laboratory analysis of the dead fish.

However, Juan said preliminary tests conducted by the DENR team showed that marine water samples taken from Barangays Poblacion, Corogcog, Sta. Barbara, Malobago, Pagcolbon and Binosawan were “generally within DENR standards for pH and cyanide parameters.” – Katherine Adraneda