2010-02-19 13:12:37 - Biological Hazard - Kenya EDIS CODE: BH-20100219-24996-KEN
Date & Time: 2010-02-19 13:12:37 [UTC]
Area: Kenya, Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha, Not confirmed information! Description: Thousands of fish in Lake Naivasha have died in the last two days raising fears among fishermen and locals. Part of the lake has been covered by the decaying fish as a heavy odour filters across the water body that is said to be on its deathbed. All species of fish in the lake have been affected by the mysterious disease with fingers pointing to toxic wastes from flower farms. A visit to the lake by KBC found fishermen collecting the fish from the lake and burying them by the beach as tourists unaware of the incident toured the lake. According to an eco-tour operator David Kilo, they first noticed huge Common Carp fishes floating near the beaches. "We got concerned after finding at least 200 fish floating in a section of the lake all with bloated bodies," He said and attributed the deaths to chemical from flower farms around the lake adding that the problem could get worse in coming days. "Chemical run offs from the farms have been the order of the day and the situation has been made worse by heavy rains that have pounded the area in the last two days," A conservationist Mr Nigel Warren who was once a member of the Lake Naivasha Riparian Association said. Pollution caused by large-scale flower farming has been wrecking havoc on the Lake which is the only fresh water ecosystem in the eastern. "I resigned from the association in protest and flower farms around the lake have in one way or the other contributed to the current status of the lake," said the former UK soldier. A researcher from Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI) George Morara said that deaths could have been caused by suffocation or pollution. Speaking on phone, Morara said that samples had already been taken to the institute's laboratory and results would be out by Monday next week. "Initial investigations show that the fish died from suffocation as their mouths and gills were open. " He added that majority of the dead fish were found in shallow areas which had been covered in siltation following the heavy rains. "There could be depletion of oxygen when the organic matter decomposes causing the deaths of the fish," He was quick to add that they did not rule out pollution adding that laboratory results would clear up the issue. In the last couple of months, the lake's water level and quality have dropped with experts warning that the lake faces an ecological collapse.
The name of Hazard: Fishes Die-off (Unidentified Disease)
Species: Animal
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