By Lyka Manalo BATANGAS— The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-Calabarzon) has given the assurance that tilapia fish in markets are still safe to eat amidst a massive fish kill that hit Taal Lake Monday. DENR said the Taal Lake Fish Cage Industry is facing its worst crisis as the dissolved oxygen which fish needs continue to decline. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS TO DENR-CALABARZON / VIA LYKA MANALO / MANILA BULLETIN) “We are calling on the public to still patronize the remaining stocks. This is not even 25 percent of one town” DENR-Calabarzon, Regional Executive Director Maria Paz Luna said. The Bureau of Fish and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) issued warnings on Sunday, March 26, that the dissolved oxygen, which should be between 5 to 6 parts per million (ppm) that would allow fish to breathe, was at a dangerously low level of 2.8 ppm. Thus, fish cage owners were advised to move their cages or harvest early. As of Friday, May 31, there were about 605 metric tons of dead fish that were recovered, placing losses at P42.9 million. During DENR’s inspection, there were cages which, still had floating dead fish waiting to be hauled to shore and buried. However, it was reported that pits where these fish could be buried were already filled. “(We) are monitoring almost 24/7 together with the LGU (local government unit) which laments that the industry and owners were not doing enough as government still has to bear the costs of fuel and some heavy equipment” Luna told Manila Bulletin. “We asked for DPWH help and borrowed water pumps to sieve contaminated water through the shore. Owners were scrambling first to save their stocks, yung buhay pa, so naiwan yung patay at nagsimulang mabulok. PAMB now requires them to remove in 24 hours” she added. DENR’s latest report said there were 121 affected fish cages in Barangays Boso-Boso and Gulod in Laurel, and in Barangay Bañaga in Agoncillo, Batangas. Mayor Daniel Reyes said there were nine fish cages affected out of 1,500 in Agoncillo town and dead fish were already disposed of. He said fish cage owners have their own mortality pits. Reyes said the local government extended their help to Laurel town by sending equipment and manpower. Regulation of the cage industry started in 2006 when the carrying capacity was established and 6000 cages were permitted to be used.