Hundreds of metric tons of fishes die in the Philippines in a lake above a volcano

The volcano is about to blow would be my guess.

Tons of fish die in Batangas

Nearly 400 metric tons of milkfish were found floating in Taal Lake in the northern Philippines, local officials said today.

Talisay Mayor Zenaida Mendoza said that more or less 375 metric tons of milkfish died since Thursday in 84 fish cages in Sampaloc village of the same town in Batangas province.

Zeny Macatangay, Municipal Agriculture Officer of Talisay, said that initial investigation disclosed that the fish death was due to "sudden change of water temperature" in the lake where Taal Volcano is located.

And it seems the experts think so too.

Alert Level 2 is still in effect over Taal Volcano, with the interpretation that magma has been intruding towards the surface, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

Six volcanic earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours near the volcano.

Taal Volcano

Taal Volcano is a complex volcano on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Historical eruptions are concentrated on Volcano Island, an island near the middle of Lake Taal. The lake partially fills Taal Caldera, which was formed by prehistoric very powerful eruptions. Viewed from Tagaytay Ridge, Taal Volcano and Lake presents one of the most picturesque and attractive views in the Philippines.[1] It is located about 50 km (31 miles) south of the capital of the country, the city of Manila.

The volcano had several violent eruptions in the past causing loss of life in the island and the populated areas surrounding the lake, with the death toll estimated at around 5,000 to 6,000. Because of its proximity to populated areas and its eruptive history, the volcano was designated a Decade Volcano, worthy of close study to prevent future natural disasters. It is one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines and part of the Pacific ring of fire.

So it's nothing ``dangerous`` or even exceptional that it's about to blow.

Thanks for bringing this one back. Never got the source, I guess the other one was 404'd.

2nd line...

great find thank you, i enjoyed reading this thread and the links ....

I found this from RSOE: hisz.rsoe.hu...

DENR Secretary Ramon Paje told The STAR underwater vegetation consumed the oxygen that milkfish (bangus) and tilapia needed to survive

Seems that too many fish caused the deaths as they consumed all of the oxygen.

EDIT "Doesn't seem like the obvious explanation to me though... If there is a volcano underneath the lake, maybe the it's hotting up and the oxygen is rising but the fish mainly swim around the bed..."

Nice find.

Many deep volcanic lakes build up CO2 in the deeper water.
en.wikipedia.org...
hotholes.tribe.net...

If something cause a mild overturn one of the signs would be massive fish kills

This should be brought to everyone's attention. The Philippines have been really rocked lately - only today they had a Mag 6 Quake and Volcano Island has had a good rocking too, ever since the Japanese EQ & S.

My guess is that the next big one will be here in the Philippines. Quake or Volcano something BIG is afoot in this area.

Thanks for sharing. S&F

Originally posted by scottlpool2003
I found this from RSOE: hisz.rsoe.hu...

DENR Secretary Ramon Paje told The STAR underwater vegetation consumed the oxygen that milkfish (bangus) and tilapia needed to survive

It is interesting that I've never heard (or noticed) the lack of Oxygen excuse for the mass die-offs of fish (nor have I ever heard of or paid much attention to mass fish die offs being land locked) but this year its a theme of 2011. I guess its the new norm.

Good find, was very informative, Is the world changing or we just finally in a state to know whats happening on a global scale?

Originally posted by Esotericizm
Good find, was very informative, Is the world changing or we just finally in a state to know whats happening on a global scale?

This stuff has been happening forever so I think the second half of your question is more accurate.

So do you guys think this thing is going to blow?!?

reply to post by DOUGH3914


I think it could mean that.
This may not be correct, but if i remember volcanoes leak off natural gasses that are toxic before they erupt ( I may be thinking of earthquakes, or just completely false )

And yet again..

More dead fish found in Taal

Another 200 tons of fish have died in Talisay, Batangas Tuesday night after a sharp decrease in oxygen levels in Taal Lake, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said.

A BFAR study showed that the oxygen level in Taal was depleted in half due to the transition to rainy season.

BFAR said it may take several more days before conditions at the lake normalize.

Yeah sure. Nothing to do with the volcano right?

You know the more I try to rationalize these happenings the less rational and normal it seems. I really don't remember a year when there was so much death w/ fish and animals. How strange.

i just found this about Taal volcano

volcano.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph...

PHYSICAL FEATURES Elevation: 0.311 km Type of Volcano: Tuff cone Crater Lakes/Caldera/Maars: MAIN CRATER LAKE - 1.9 km in diameter; blue-green in color, 4 m above sea level, deepest point: 76 m Taal Volcano Island has 47 craters and 4 maars TAAL CALDERA - 25 km across and formed between 140,000 to 5,380 BP TAAL LAKE - inside the caldera; 267 sq. km and 2 m above sea level Adjacent Volcanic Edifice: Makiling (NE) Malepunyo (E), Batulao (W) and Macolod (SE)

also see my post in the volcano watch thread