Azua.- The Ministry of the Environment has released a preliminary report on the death of numerous fish in a lagoon in Puerto Viejo and Playa Los Negros, Azua. The report suggests that the fish die-off may be due to the accumulation of chemical and organic pollutants from human activities and natural processes on land, which are carried to the seabed through runoff.
The report, conducted by a team led by marine biologist Enrique Pugibet Bobea, revealed similar water temperatures at the three sampling points taken by technicians from the Ministry of the Environment’s Vice Ministry of Coastal and Marine Affairs.
Pugibet explained that potential causes of the event include high water turbidity caused by sea movements and runoff from rainfall in wetlands, as well as the presence of tannins and nutrients. The decomposition of sargassum and possible chemical products in the water could also have affected its quality. These factors, combined with environmental, climatic, and oceanographic changes, may have contributed to the fish die-off.
The temperature data obtained aligns with the readings from oceanographic buoys installed in the marine area.
The Ministry, specifically the Vice Ministry of Coastal and Marine Affairs, continue further investigations and studies to complete laboratory analyses that will confirm or rule out these preliminary causes. These efforts aim to enhance the understanding of the current environmental context surrounding the lagoon.