The Ministry of Environment says that the lack of oxygen caused by dense sargassum caused the death of thousands of fishes in Barahona waters in the southwest. The explanation is that the seaweed has started to decompose and, as it decomposes, it uses up a lot of oxygen in the water, so the fish living in the water die because they can’t get any oxygen.
Reputed biologist Enrique Pugibet delivered the conclusion after investigating the reasons for the death of fishes near the Barahona Port area. The investigators under Pugibet attributed the death of the fishes to oxygen depletion, due to factors such as sustained increase in dissolved organic loads, leachates, algae blooms or accumulation and eutrophication processes due to excess nutrients in the water. The report stated that the fish mortality was a consequence or direct effect of the poor water quality resulting from the decomposed organic matter in the body of water.
The Ministry of Environment said it was coordinating with the Dominican Port Authority and the Dominican Navy to remove the organic matter now precipitated to the bottom of the inlet where Barahona port is located.
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Ministry of Environment
18 October 2021