The threat of plankton bloom in the waters off Pasir Ris loomed over aquatic life last week, but the extent of the damage wrecked wasn’t fully realised until last weekend, when environmentalist blogger Sean Yap posted pictures of the monumental amount of dead fishes and other wildlife that’ve washed up on the shores.
Described as mass graves, the tragic phenomenon has been spotted across Singapore straits including Seletar Dam, Sembawang and even off Pulau Ubin.
The plankton bloom however hit fish farmers the hardest as they woke up last Saturday only to find the fishes they’ve been rearing all floating belly up.
What exactly is causing the fish holocaust? According to the Wild Shores of Singapore blog, the sudden bloom in algae over the past week have lead to rapid reduction in dissolved oxygen in the water, leading to the mass deaths of marine life. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) however maintain that plankton are the reason behind it.
The Independent reports about a displeased fish farmer who has even conducted his own experiments to prove that the fish are dying not from the lack of oxygen — but the presence of harmful algae blooms that release toxins, even as the AVA continue to deny his claims.
Photo: Sean Yap Facebook page
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