Agriculture Secretary William Dar on Friday ordered the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to do everything to respond to the reported fish kill in Parañaque and Las Piñas.
Thousands of dead fish were seen on the shores of Long Island, Las Piñas, and Freedom Island, Parañaque, on Thursday morning.
“I have instructed the BFAR leadership to take action necessary or actions necessary to act on this problem, Dar told GMA News.
The cause of the apparent fish kill is being investigated.
Among the species found on the shores were asuhos, kanduli, butete, sapsap, tilapia, and barracuda.
Authorities had earlier said they had not yet determined the cause of the fish kill, but they noted that it took place in the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area, which is a protected nature reserve.
The Las Piñas Agricultural Office had speculated that something must have been in the water.
“Yung tubig na mula sa mga ilog baka nahalo du’n sa dagat kaya ‘di natin alam kung ano laman nu’n, kaya namatay ang mga isda,”Ceasar Canoy, an aide of the Agriculture department, said Thursday.