The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has advised against collecting and consuming dead fish and other aquatic organisms from the coastal waters of Bais and Manjuyod in Negros Oriental.
This is a health precaution, as the dead aquatic life may contain harmful pathogens, chemicals, and pollutants that pose risks to human health, BFAR 7 Regional Director Mario Ruinata said in an advisory Tuesday, which was released to the media on Wednesday.
Ruinata issued the advisory following the collapse of a wall of the 20-hectare wastewater lagoon of the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) Bais Distillery in Bais City, Negros Occidental, on Sunday.
The collapse caused the wastewater from the distillery that produces ethanol from molasses to spill into the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS).
In the advisory, Ruinata said that amid “concerns about possible health risks from eating contaminated seafood, the public is advised to refrain from fishing, collecting, and gathering aquatic organisms, such as but not limited to finfish, crustaceans, and seaweeds, in the affected areas.”
Bais City officials, led by Mayor Luigi Marcel T. Goñi, requested URC in a meeting on Wednesday to collect the dead fish and other aquaculture affected in the North Bais Bay.
The ten Bais coastal barangays affected are Tamisu, Katacgahan, Biñohon, San Isidro, Tangculogan, Talungon, Olympia, Okiot, Capiñahan, and Looc.
A Bais City report on its Facebook page said that URC is now undertaking rehabilitation of the affected lagoon and has committed to provide financial assistance to the affected fisherfolk from both Bais City and Manjuyod.
In a statement released on Tuesday, URC Bais Distillery said that multi-sectoral efforts are under way to contain the wastewater spillage from a breach in their lagoon wall that was caused by “earthquake-induced cracks, exacerbated by unexpected continuous heavy rains the past few days”.
DENR ACTION
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in a press statement Wednesday said it is taking swift, science-based, and coordinated action in response to the collapse of a containment lagoon in Barangay Tamiso, Bais City.
DENR field personnel were immediately deployed to conduct on-site inspections, water quality monitoring, and coastal ecosystem assessments in close coordination with the local governments of Bais City and Manjuyod, URC representatives, and affected communities, it said.
Initial assessment confirmed that the dike of Lagoon 6 of URC’s settling pond collapsed, releasing approximately up to 90 percent of its spent wash content into nearby waters.
This resulted in visible discoloration in North Bais Bay and poses potential risks to marine biodiversity, fisheries, and local livelihoods, the DENR said.
The DENR said it is working closely with the BFAR, the Protected Area Management Board, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Bais and Manjuyod local governments to contain the spill, assess the extent of the damage, and safeguard the marine habitats in Tañon Strait.
The DENR said it collected water samples on Monday for laboratory analysis and results are expected within 3-7 days.
A continuous monitoring of water quality is underway, it said.
Drones and patrol boats have been deployed to monitor the spread of the wastewater and map potentially-affected marine habitats, the DENR said.
DENR ordered URC to immediately rehabilitate and repair the damaged lagoon, submit a detailed Environmental Rehabilitation and Restoration Plan (ERRP) with timelines, and commit to providing financial compensation to affected residents.
DENR has convened a technical support team to assess the spill’s impact on water quality, fisheries, seagrass beds, coral reefs, and marine animals within the Tañon Strait.
“The health and safety of our people and the protection of our marine biodiversity and natural resources remain the DENR’s highest priority,” it said.
Vicente Losbañes, director of the Environment Management Bureau – Negros Island Region, said about 255,000 cubic meters of wastewater, termed “spent wash,” emptied into the sea.
Manric Barillo, head of the province’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, said more than 1,000 hectares of the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape have been contaminated.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development has provided relief assistance to residents affected the wastewater spill.*