BFAR probes fish kill; to file raps vs ship owner for dumping waste

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 11 (PNA) - The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will file a case against the owner of the unnamed ship for dumping highly toxic chemicals to the sea that killed more than a ton of marine products in Babatngon, Leyte.

Citing initial investigation, BFAR Regional Director Juan D. Albaladejo blamed the ballast waste released by the unnamed vessel on Monday as the main cause of the fish kill.

“Our team has been gathering all data in preparation for the formal filing of case against the ship operator for violating Republic Act 10654,” Albaladejo said in a mobile phone interview.

The fish kill has stopped Tuesday afternoon, but until now BFAR is still clueless on the name of the vessel that dumped the waste on Monday.

BFAR is coordinating with the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) to identify the vessel. Among all government agencies, only EMB has the access to the oil depot in Bacong village, Babatngon town.

“Our assumption is that after the crew unloaded the oil, they cleaned up the tanks using chemicals and dumped the waste to the sea. The waste is highly toxic since it killed even bottom-dweller species such as blue crab, stingrays and octopus within 24 hours,” the official explained.

Fish appeared sluggish, surfacing from water and dying with gaping mouth, according to Albaladejo.

BFAR also dismissed claims that the fish kill is caused by red tide bloom in Carigara Bay since toxicity level in Babatngon town is very low. (PNA)
LAP/Sarwell Q. Meniano

Chemical spill kills fish in Leyte town

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 9 (PNA) -– The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has expressed alarm over fish kill in Babatngon, Leyte due to ballast waste discharged by unnamed vessel.

The fisheries bureau has sent teams to dig more details on the reported chemical spill and get the identity of the vessel that docked at the oil depot in Bacong village, Babatngon town. The vessel reportedly arrived on Sunday and left Tuesday afternoon.

Citing reports from local fishermen, BFAR Regional Director Juan Albaladejo said in a mobile phone interview that in the coastal subvillage of Nabungcagan, at least 300 kilograms of assorted marine products were found dead.

In the nearby Tulaan subvillage, 450 kilograms have been affected by the spill.

“Assorted species were affected including bottom dwellers such as blue swimming crab, octopus, stingray, suggesting chemical spill,” Albaladejo told PNA.

The fish kill has started on Monday and has been spreading to nearby areas until Wednesday noon, according to BFAR.

“Fish appeared sluggish, surfacing from water and died with gaping mouth. No obvious lesions seen from body surface,” Albaladejo explained.

The fisheries bureau got the report about the chemical spill on Tuesday from the Office of the Civil Defense.

The BFAR official said that this is not the first time a fish kill hit the coastal area of Babatngon due to oil or chemical spill. The recent incident prompted authorities to look into environmental laws violations of the oil depot.

Babatngon town is about 31 kilometers northwest from this city. (PNA)
FFC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO