The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the fish kill recorded in Cañacao Bay in Cavite this week is not expected to have an economic impact as most of the affected fish, black chin tilapia, has low economic value.
This developed as the Department of Agriculture (DA) has cleared the province of Cotabato from avian influenza.
Nazario Briguera, BFAR spokesperson, said in a televised interview yesterday the fish kill in Cavite was due to the drop in dissolved oxygen level caused by an algal bloom in the area.
Briguera said BFAR is continuously monitoring water quality in Cañacao Bay.
Meanwhile, Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 51 series of 2023 signed by DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Wednesday cleared Cotabato of avian flu after affected farms yielded negative test results for influenza type A virus for more than 90 days which led to the issuance of the MC.
DA also earlier declared Camarines Sur, Davao del Sur, Rizal, South Cotabato, Ilocos Sur, Batangas, Capiz, Quezon Province, Aurora, Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan as avian influenza free.
