URDANETA CITY — Senator Loren Legarda raised the alarm about possible fish-kill in Pangasinan and other provinces following reports of fish dying in rivers and fish ponds in Ifugao and Isabela.

In a press conference here, Legarda warned against possible red tide infestation in Pangasinan and called on the government authorities to monitor water situation in provinces to prevent the fish-kill reported in Ifugao and Isabela.

She noted that the towns of Bolinao, Anda and Sual are Pangasinan's leading bangus (milkfish) producers supply 60 percent of demand in Metro Manila.

Legarda visited Urdaneta City as part of her nationwide campaign for vice president, under the joint backing by the Nationalist People’s Coalition, Nacionalista Party and Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino.

“I call on the regional field units of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, with the help of local governments and civil society, to monitor the water situation in their localities against fish-kill. I also urge the Department of Agriculture to expedite the cloud-seeding operations to trigger rains,” said Loren, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.

She recalled that in 2002, a massive fish-kill hit Bolinao, destroying about P400 million worth of bangus cultured in fish cages.

Rising temperature and little rainfall in the Magat River which courses through Ifugao and Isabela has caused oxygen depletion in the water killing the fish.

Dead tilapia was reported floating in fish pens, cages and ponds in the first incidents of “fish-kill” amid the dry spell caused by the El Nino Phenomenon.

“This is another huge blow to the livelihood of our fishermen and farmers, who are bearing the brunt of the El Niño. Government should extend special support to them if they are to weather this crisis,” said Loren.