Mass fish kill in Ashtamudi triggers panic

Residents started noticing dead fish from Saturday evening and by Sunday morning fish were washed ashore in large numbers. They say leachate released into the lake, resulting in contamination, caused the fish kill. Experts call for a detailed study

Updated - October 28, 2024 09:48 am IST - KOLLAM

Dead fish float on Ashtamudi Lake at Kadavur in Kollam on Sunday

Dead fish float on Ashtamudi Lake at Kadavur in Kollam on Sunday | Photo Credit: C. SURESHKUMAR C

Triggering panic among local people, hundreds of dead fish were found floating on Ashtamudi Lake on Sunday morning. Though isolated incidents have been reported from some parts earlier too, its for the first time that the waterbody is witnessing such massive fish deaths.

“We started noticing dead fish from Saturday evening and by Sunday morning they were washed ashore in large numbers. It was not limited to one spot. Dead fish have started blanketing the water in multiple locations,” says Vasudevan from Mangad.

While experts have been called for scientific investigation to ascertain the cause, residents blame leachate released into the lake resulting in large-scale contamination. “A huge quantity of fish have perished in one day and I have never seen such an instance in Ashtamudi. We strongly believe that it’s the result of contamination. Huge volumes of waste must have been dumped into the waterbody. By tomorrow the stink will be unbearable,” says Ani, from Achalumoodu.

Since visuals of dead fish went viral on social networking platforms, many families living on the shore of the waterbody expressed concern over the massive mortality. “We see a lot of tankers carrying septage waste near the backwaters. They always pick deserted locations with no households nearby. Tankers and factories keep discharging the waste into the water. Despite strict rules, the practice continues,” says Jagadamma, who lives nearby.

Samples collected

According to experts, comprehensive studies are required to find the cause of changes in the aquatic ecosystem. “Most probably it will be the result of depleted oxygen levels. We have collected samples and without studying them we cannot reach a conclusion,” says A. Bijukumar, Professor and Head of the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala.

Fishers’ concern

Meanwhile, inland fishers are worried that there will be no takers for their catch due to the development. “This is going to hit our livelihood hard. There are already several theories doing rounds and some say the fish died due to chemical contamination and the toxins will remain in the water for a while. In the coming days people will be hesitant to buy fish from us,” says Ambrose, fisher.

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