VIGAN CITY - At least five tons of assorted fish, with an estimated cost of P500,000, turned up dead in the latest fish kill incident reported Friday in Mestizo River, here.
City Agriculturist Liburio Arca said the fish kill might have been due to leaching, following the sudden incidence of rains in the city.
Leaching is the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the ground that sometimes leads to an increase in sulfuric substances in the river.
"This sulfuric material will eventually poison all fishes along the river when it is incorporated into the water," Arca explained.
"At least 100 fishermen were affected from the fish kill, which was the first time the city experienced it since the El Niño phenomenon set in last June 2009," he added.
For his part, Vigan City Mayor Eva Marie Singson - Medina assured financial assistance to the affected fishermen.
"Actually, the city government had already been giving the necessary support assistance to help relief the affected fishermen," she said.
