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Abra folk say mine waste cause January fish kill

BAGUIO CITY (Feb. 3) — Local residents of Luba, Abra suspected that mining operations in Mankayan, Benguet caused a fish kill along the Abra River on January 26. Locals said that dead fish and shrimps floated for almost two days due to changes in color and smell of the river a few days after typhoon Agaton in late January.

According to Jessie Dawaten, Luba’s municipal registrar, even carps were found dead. Local residents believe that carp, a local fish, is relatively resistant to ordinary water pollution.

Dawaten added that people observed the river turned black and smelled differently. She added that the riverbed was filled with very fine cement-like mud after the rains brought by typhoon Agaton.

“Ada ti agarup 40 a nagpakat ti barekbek idi rabii ti January 27 idiay karayan ngem idi sublian da ti barekbekda awan ti lames ken udang a natiliwda,” (About 40 residents installed their barekbek (native fish catching device) in the river on January 27, but got no fish nor shrimp) Dawaten said.

Local residents suspected that the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company released mine tailings to the river during the heavy rains, causing the fish kill.

Save the Abra River Movement (STARM)-Abra in an e-mailed report said that water samples were taken from the said river and are currently studied to verify the cause of the fish kill. # via NORDIS

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