Growers rush emergency harvest as fish kill hits South Cotabato town

Dead tilapias float inside fish cages in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato following a fish kill locally known as kamahong, believed to have been triggered by low dissolved oxygen levels due to prolonged bad weather. The incident forced fish cage operators to conduct emergency harvests to minimize losses. Photo courtesy of Al Driventures

KORONADAL CITY — Inclement weather that battered parts of Region 12 or Soccsksargen region the past several days triggered a fish kill in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, forcing tilapia cage growers to harvest and sell their stocks early at lower prices to reduce losses.

Roads in parts of Lake Sebu were lined with newly-harvested tilapia as operators rushed to pull out fish stocks from their cages after another fish kill, locally known as kamahong, struck several areas of the town.

READ: Fish kill in Lake Sebu blamed on ‘habagat’

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