Why did millions of fish drop dead in a lake near Philippines volcano?





Wildlife experts have been baffled by the sudden death of more than 800 tons of fish which have rotted on farms in a lake near Taal volcano south of Manila.

Residents were stunned when the milkfish, a widespread local dish, began dying and floating of the surface late last week.

Officials have banned the sale of the rotting fish, which are being buried by the truckload in Talisay and four other towns in Batangas province.

Freak of nature: Workers remove dead milkfish after thousands of them were found floating in Taal Lake, south of Manila, in the Philippines

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources official Rose del Mundo said today that the number of dying fish has now eased off slightly.

The deaths are believed to be unrelated to recent signs of restiveness in Taal volcano, which is surrounded by the lake where many villagers have grown milkfish and tilapia - staple food for many Filipinos.

The volcano and lake are a popular tourist draw.

Experts believe that a sudden drop in temperature may have been responsible for the millions of fish deaths.

Taking the plunge: A brave worker dives into one of the ponds at the fish farm as he tries to remove the dead milkfish, locally known as Bangus

Containment: Nets are used to cover the piles of rotting dead fish which have been banned from being sold as they could spread diseases

Talisay agricultural officer Zenaida Mendoza said an initial investigation showed the deaths may have been caused by the temperature change as the rainy season set in last week after a scorching summer, which also depleted the lake's oxygen levels.

Schools of fish were seen swimming in circles before they floated dead to the surface in huge numbers.

The deaths have occurred in the past at summer's end but in much smaller numbers, Mendoza said.

Some Taal lake areas turned white due to the massive numbers of dead milk-colored fish.

Dish: The pale white milkfish are a staple food for thousands of residents across the region of the Philippines. Here, a fishfarm worker reaches into the thousands of dead creatures

Hitting traders: A business permit is mounted on a fish cage where fish pond workers remove the dead creatures. Experts believe that a sudden drop in temperature could be responsible

Workers covered their noses with their hands or clothing Sunday as they scooped up the rotting fish and placed them into sacks.

'Many were sad and devastated because they invested a lot in these fish cages,' Talisay Mayor Zenaida Mendoza said.

More than 400 tons of milkfish have died in Talisay alone since Friday in 84 out of about 1,000 fish pens - lake areas about half the size of a basketball court which are fenced off by bamboo poles and nets. Damage has been estimated at $770,000 (33 million pesos), Mendoza said. About 400 tons more have died in the other towns.