Manila asks BFAR: Probe bay fish kill

MANILA, Philippines — The city government of Manila has asked the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to look into the fish kill in Manila Bay along the Baseco seawall in Tondo that groups blamed on the dolomite sand project, an official said yesterday.

City hall information officer Julius Leonen said they have referred the matter to BFAR national director Eduardo Gongona for appropriate action and investigation.

The BFAR told the city government that the fish spotted along the Baseco seawall Wednesday died due to low levels of oxygen in the polluted waters, Leonen added.

The BFAR also described the incident as “fish mortalities,” noting that on Tuesday, residents saw species of fish like biya, kanduli, asohos, and tilapia gasping for air after a heavy rainfall.

In the BFAR’s initial water quality analysis, the water sample from the Baseco area also showed a low level of dissolved oxygen at  0.11 milligram/liter. The acceptable level for marine waters is at 5 mg/l, the bureau said.

A video of the fish kill went viral after it was uploaded by the group Urban Poor Associates on Facebook, quoting urban poor leader Regine Nequia as saying it was their first time to see a fish kill along the Baseco seawall.

“The community now worries that this might be the effect of the dolomite ‘white sand’ as part of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation,” the group said in the post.

In a separate statement, Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) should be addressing the environmental degradation of Manila Bay, “not busying itself with… ephemeral aesthetics” such as the “beach nourishment” project involving crushed dolomite at the Manila Bay’s shoreline.

DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda denied the dolomite sand project caused the fish kill, noting that the “nourishment area” where dolomite sand was dumped along Roxas Boulevard is far from the Baseco seawall.

Meanwhile, environmental coalition Manila Baywatch said yesterday it is set to file a writ of kalikasan against the dumping of dolomite along the shoreline in Manila’s Baywalk.

Coalition member Terry Ridon said the project was implemented without an environmental compliance certificate (ECC).

He also said the DENR and the Department of Public Works and Highways violated DENR regulations on the ECC since the location is in an area with tourist potential and unique historical interest. –  Rhodina Villanueva