‘Bangus’ Prices Go Down in Dagupan After Mild Fishkill

Dagupan City (PNA) — The price of “bangus” or milkfish in the Dagupan fish market went down slightly on Monday due to a mild fishkill caused by the sudden downpour the day before, prompting fish farmers to again harvest their fish in captivity prematurely.

An estimated 100 tons of milkfish had to be harvested from the fishponds in the island villages of Pugaro and Salapingao and in Lucao along the Jose de Venecia Sr. Expressway Extension and brought by boats to the fish market early.

A report said that due to the abundance of milkfish in the local market, its price went down to as low as P80 per kilogram from P110 to P15 per kilo the day before.

Fortunately, all the milkfish unloaded to the Dagupan fish market were sold.

City Agriculturist Emma Molina blamed the mild fishkill to the sudden downpour Sunday afternoon that brought what she called thermal shock to fish in captivity as the weather was hot since morning of Sunday.

She said this happened many times before and fish farmers already know how to cope with it.

Noting the stress that the fish went through with the change of water temperature, fish farmers had to prematurely harvest their fish before they all died.

Market inspectors certified that the milkfish that were prematurely harvested were fit for human consumption as they were harvested hours before they could die due to stress as a result of the sudden infusion of cold rains in the water.

They advised consumers buying fish to make sure they are not buying stale fish or those that died in the fishkill, by pinching the stomach of the milkish.

If they feel that the stomach of the fish is hallow or soft as cotton, they must not buy it.

The gills of the fish must also be examined and if it appears red, this is an indication that the fish is still fresh. (PNA) LAP/LVM/LVMICUA/RMA