LAGAWE, Ifugao — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ruled Monday that high sulfur concentration in the water caused the fish kill in low-lying towns of this province last week which resulted in losses amounting to P30 million.

Results of several laboratory tests of water samples taken from the affected fish ponds showed that sulphuric water coming from the eroded mountain was the culprit in the death of thousands of tilapia in the municipalities of Lamut and Lagawe.

The peculiar occurrence happened after several days of rains in Northern Luzon.

BFAR representatives explained that continuous rains last week eroded the top portion of one of the mountains here, bringing down sulphuric water to the Ibulao River.

The Ibulao River is the source of fresh water of all the fish ponds in the two municipalities where the fish kill happened.

Since rains started to prevail in most parts of the Northern Luzon area, the water running in the Ibulao River had a murky color which caused alarm among fisherfolk and farmers whose production of fishes and agricultural crops were greatly affected by the bad state of water supplying their fish ponds and farms.

At the same time, the BFAR office based in the Cordillera Administrative Region and the Provincial Agriculture and Environment Office found that another reason why there was a sudden fish kill in the two towns is that people living along the Ibulao River, the largest river system in the province, throw their garbage in the river which has contributed in the worsening pollution of the body of water providing water supply for fish ponds and farms below it.

Considering the lack of fish supply in the province due to the fish kill, prices of tilapia, popularly raised in the fresh waters here, have gone up to P100 per kilo which is way beyond the gate price and the previous prevailing prices.

As an initial assistance to the affected fisherfolk, the provincial government distributed to free fingerlings to the affected fish producers in order to help augment the losses which they sustained and allow them to recover from the untoward incident.

Moreover, the provincial and municipal governments will conduct a frequent monitoring of the households living along the river in order to prevent them from dumping their wastes in the water which could result to massive pollution and again affect the fish production of fisherfolks living below it who use the water for their fish ponds.

Aside from rice and vegetable farming, fish production is one of the major sources of livelihood of the people, especially those living in the low-lying areas, because of the abundant water supply from the Cordillera watersheds.

The BFAR will also distribute the needed assistance to the affected fisherfolks in order for them to recover the losses which they suffered due to the fish kill that affected over 40 hectares if fish ponds in the two towns.