The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Dead fish surge causes alarm

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Saturday, Oct 25, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Dead fish surge causes alarm

Special Correspondent

Corporation takes steps to prevent health hazard in the coast belt

Health threat: Corporation workers engaged in burying dead fish on the beach. Mayor C. Jayan Babu is also seen.

Thiruvananthapuram: Panic gripped the coastal belt of the city from Pallithura to Poonthura on Friday after large numbers of dead fish were washed ashore. The strong stench of rotting fish pervaded the entire coastal area, sparking fears of a public health hazard.

The City Corporation deployed workers to bury the dead fish on the beaches.

There was no official response to the incident or the reasons for the mass death of fish. However, the Department of Aquatic Biology under the University of Kerala ruled out the possibility of an algal bloom like the one off the Ramanathapuram coast last week that resulted in the death of marine organisms.

Faculty member K. Padmakumar told The Hindu that there were no reports of discoloration of sea water that is typical of an algal bloom or red-tide phenomenon. The fish belong to the Balistidae family of triggerfish that is referred to as ‘klaathi’ in local parlance.

“Though not inedible, the fish is not normally used for consumption because of its strong smell and tough skin that is hard to remove. Based on our interaction with fishermen, we presume that some trawlers had dumped their catch at sea after netting this particular species in large numbers. The dead fish would have been washed ashore,” Dr. Padmakumar said.

Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation State president T. Peter said ‘klaathi’ was common in the offshore areas during the season. “They are probably transported here by ocean currents. The disturbance caused by these currents could have disturbed the marine environment, leading to mass mortality of fish. There is also the possibility that trawlers had discarded their catch because the market value of this species is worth almost nothing” he said.

Corporation Health Officer Sreekumar said the magnitude of the incident had given rise to apprehensions among the fishermen.

“The beaches all along the coast from Pallithura to Poonthura were littered with dead fish since Thursday night. We have taken precautions to prevent a health hazard. The fish are being buried on the beach and workers have been directed to sprinkle bleaching powder in the trenches before filling them up with sand,” he said.

Dr. Sreekumar said fishermen returning from sea had reported seeing whole shoals of dead fish floating on the surface. “We expect more fish to be washed ashore over the next day,” he said.

Mayor C. Jayan Babu also visited the coastal areas to supervise the disposal of dead fish.

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