BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
THERE have been sightings of dead fish washing up along the shorelines of Haleta and Tulagi in the Central Islands Province.
Villagers in the area are shocked to find dead fish washed ashore since last week.
A team made up of officers from the Central provincial government fisheries and environment is warning people living along the area not to collect any dead fish found.
They have been advising Tulagi residents and surrounding communities that the dead fish issue is still not over.
Report reaching Island Sun yesterday local fishermen said dead fish are still floating around the sea outside of Tulagi and Haleta village.
According to Robert Manebona from Tulagi, fishermen in the area have discovered dead fish floating along the Haleta and Tulagi area.
“I would like to call on members of the public in Tulagi to be careful before buying fish at the market.”
“The cause of the dead fish is still unknown and it is not clear as of yet if those fish are good for human consumption,” he said.
“Dead fish was seen washed ashore and floating up shore this (yesterday) morning.
“We don’t know why this has happened.
“This is the first time this has happened,” he said.
Manebona said fishermen have alerted Central province fisheries office to raise the alarm to authorities concerned, including the Ministry of Health, Fisheries and authorities to find the cause of dead fish in the area.
It is understood that CIP fisheries division sent a team into the area to assess the situation and have taken samples to relevant authorities for laboratory testing.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries officials, until results are received then it will be known as to what was the cause of fish to die in the area.
The tests will find out how the fish died. In the meantime, locals have been urged to keep children away from the shoreline where the dead fish were found.
