The Labasa rivers - same old story

from w
The story is told, ad nauseum, about the degradation of the Labasa and Qawa rivers, but who cares? The mill continues to chuck sludge and gunk into the river. No wonder the fish die!
from today's Fiji Sun.

Large quantity of dead fish found in river
10/22/2008
The fisheries department is investigating the discovery of a large quantity of dead fish in the Labasa river. Labasa was flooded with the dead prawns, crabs and fish yesterday and caught the attention of the Labasa residents.

The divisional fisheries officer North Apisai Sesewa who was in Suva yesterday said he was not aware of the incident but had sent a team of fisheries officers to investigate the cause of the dead fish.

He said the team had surveyed the mouth of the river and found out there were dead fish there.

Sant Ram from the fisheries department said while surveying the river he was informed by the villages that the dead fish had been noticed for some weeks and yesterday it got worse. It is believed that chemicals from the nearby Labasa sugar mill could be the cause.

Mr Sesewa said they had taken some fish for a test at the Koronivia research station. He said once they confirmed the chemical which killed the fish, they would then take further action. Meanwhile it was a shocking scene for the people of Labasa.

Moape Serukalou a fish sell(er) said it was normal to see dead fish when cleaning of the sugar mill was carried out because chemicals would be drained into the river, “It is the syrup and chemicals from the mill which caused the death of a large amount of fish”.

No comment could be obtained from the Fiji Sugar Corporation.
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Shame on the polluters in Babasiga land!