Archive | August 2015
Mass die off of fish in a lagoon in Fajardo, Puerto Rico
Staff of the Department of natural resources and environmental (DNER), of the Board of environmental quality (JCA) and the entity for the nature serve the emergency situation of mass mortality of fish and excessive accumulation of Sargassum reported at la laguna Grande, internationally recognized for its bioluminescence and ecological sensitivity.
The Secretariat of the DNER, Carmen Guerrero Perez, reported that agency technicians began efforts to remove the kelp accumulated in the water channel which gives access to the bioluminescent lagoon.
Also, removed the dead fish have been accumulated on the Bank of the water body in the area known as the fisherman’s step, an easement giving access from the Seven Seas beach.
The owner explained that the work is done manually and with a rake because cannot be machinery to the area by the high level of ecological sensitivity of the place and because that kind of heavy equipment would run the risk of sinking.
Meanwhile, the officer’s handling of the Natural Reserve of Humacao, Manuel Corbet, today performs water quality sampling.
Large amounts of Laminaria have reached the coasts of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands.
The DNER next to the municipality of Fajardo removed yesterday, Monday, the Sargassum that is concentrated in Las Croabas, Fajardo.
“We have found a mixture of herbs marine siringodium with Sargassum seaweed and other sea algae. We are working intensively to resolve this situation as the emergency that is, not only by the ecological importance, but by the large tourist and economic engine that represents for Fajardo and Puerto Rico,”said Guerrero Perez.
Bureles, brunette, balajú, shrimps, Tarpon and puffer fish are some of the species of dead fish.
The President of JCA, Weldin Ortiz Franco, said specialized personnel in the area of environmental emergencies attended the bioluminescent Lagoon to investigate potential sources of pollution could be linked to the recent mortality of fish in the lagoon.
“A preliminary report was found nothing visible to determine that there is any chemical substance like oil or fuel, which will cause the death of fish. Nor was found illegal downloads that were from a private business or piping of sewage that were dumping in the water body”, said Ortiz Franco.
He added, “However, the Agency’s water quality program staff will be conducting a sampling to verify the following parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and conductivity physical”.
Meanwhile, the President of for nature, Fernando Lloveras San Miguel, said “we detect this situation and activate relevant government entities to investigate”.
Courtesy of metro.pr
332,000 fish killed by red tide in Gyeongsang, South Korea
A fish farm owner looks at dead red sea-bream on Geoje Island, South Gyeongsang Province, Monday. A red tide or algal bloom has affected fish and other marine creatures in the region. / Yonhap
A “red tide” is spreading along the south coast, killing hundreds of thousands of fish on fish farms.
According to the local government of Geoje Island, South Gyeongsang Province, fish farmers reported the mass death of fish, including sea bream, at three farms.
The number of dead fish is estimated at more than 332,000, worth about 420 million won. A warning has been out about the poisonous algae bloom since Aug. 13.
“Exact figures of the damages are not yet available,” a provincial government official said. “We expect more damage will be reported from other farms.”
A red tide is caused when estuarine, marine, or fresh water algae grow rapidly, turning the color of the water red or brown.
It occurs naturally, resulting from a rise in sea temperatures during summer. Higher temperatures increase salinity, providing ideal conditions for the algae.
Efforts by maritime authorities to prevent the red tide expanding are having little effect.
The algae are expected to spread to Tongyeong in the same province and Yeosu in South Jeolla Province, where a warning has also been issued. The red tide is also beginning to expand northward along the east coast.
“Red tides cause up to 70 billion won in damages every year,” said Prof. Jeong Hae-jin of the Red Tide Laboratory at Seoul National University. “About 27 million farm fishes were killed in 2013, causing damage worth hundreds of billions of won.”
The National Fishery Research and Development Institute recommended that fish farms minimize the use of artificial food supply and regularly use liquefied oxygen.
Courtesy of koreatimes.co.kr
8 sea lions, 6 pelicans and 1 dolphin found dead, ‘starving, no food’ along coast of Trujillo, Peru
They died on the shore. (Alan Benites)
The El Niño phenomenon is beginning to wreak havoc among marine species in the North of the country. As was reported, eight sea lions appeared dead among the trujillanos spas in Buenos Aires and Huanchaco.
Added to this are the six Pelicans and dolphins which appeared in the same conditions, a week ago, in this same area. Carlos Bocanegra, biologist at the National University of Trujillo, said that This is due to the warming of the sea, causing shortage of anchovy, staple food of birds and marine mammals.
“This resource has migrated to the South. For this reason, birds and sea lions, here in the North, do not have what to eat and reach the shore of the sea in search of food. ” We’re on the El Niño phenomenon, in the coming months there will be more deaths of this type”, warned.
He added that another problem identified is that some sea lions, in their eagerness to find it food, they break the nets of fishermen, who, in revenge, kill them beating them up. The specialist said that, according to international agencies, we are facing an extraordinary child who will hit with heavy rains until March 2016.
Courtesy of peru21.pe
6,000 pigs killed due to swine flu in Puurmani, Estonia
6,000 pigs killed due to swine flu in Puurmani, Estonia
600 Crayfish dead in due to disease in a river in County Cavan, Ireland
US crayfish species are resistant to the plague but can act as a carrier, and can also out-compete Ireland’s smaller native crayfish
Investigations are under way after 600 crayfish were killed by crayfish plague in a Co Cavan river.
Preliminary results indicate the cause of deaths in the River Bruskey, near Ballinagh, to be the incurable, waterborne, fungus type disease.
If this plague becomes established, there is a high probability that white-clawed crayfish, Ireland’s only freshwater crayfish species, will be eliminated from much of the island.
The disease may have been accidentally introduced from contaminated equipment that was previously used in affected waters in another country.
However, if the disease was caused by the introduction of non-native crayfish, then it is likely to become established with a severe and probably irreversible ecological impact.
Many US crayfish species are resistant to the plague but can act as a carrier of the disease, and can also out-compete Ireland’s smaller native crayfish.
The introduction of non-native species is illegal and the white-clawed crayfish has already been completely eliminated from much of its European range.
Until now, Ireland has been free of crayfish plague and is the only European country without any established non-native crayfish species.
The only means of protecting native crayfish stocks is to prevent the introduction and spread of the disease, and this is possible if the disease was accidentally introduced from contaminated equipment.
The disease has no direct threat to human, fish or other animal life.
Non-native crayfish can also destabilise canal and river banks by burrowing, and have a severe impact on other freshwater species such as salmon and trout.
While non-native crayfish may be a potential cause, there is no evidence to date that they have been introduced to Ireland.
Members of the public are asked to alert the authorities to any reports of mass mortalities of crayfish as well as sightings of unusual crayfish, and in particular to disinfect boots or angling equipment before moving from one body of water to another.
Courtesy of rte.ie
Record breaking hurricane develops in the Atlantic
Hurricane Fred has developed in the far east Atlantic.
The storm has 80 mph winds.
This is the furthest east in the Atlantic a hurricane has ever developed. There have been 4 other tropical systems develop east of 19 degrees West longitude, but none of these ever became a hurricane.
The Cape Verde Islands are under their first hurricane warning ever.
These islands are about 350 miles west of the coast of Africa.
Two other storms have tracked nearby, but not through the islands.
Storm #5 in 1892 and Debbie in 1961.
Fred is forecast to move over cooler waters and stronger winds aloft the next few days which will result in weakening of the storm.
Courtesy of wlky.com
New ash emissions during the night at Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia
Seismic signal from Nevado del Ruiz volcano (REB station) showing the onset of volcanic tremor
A phase of ash emissions occurred early today at the volcano. A strong pulse of volcanic tremor started at 03:21 local time.
Light ash fall was later detected in different parts of Manizales. In the early morning, a steam plume was seen rising approx. 400 m from the volcano.
Courtesy of volcanodiscovery.com
New eruption at Michael volcano in South Sandwich Islands
NASA satellite image of Michael volcano (image: NASA via South Sandwich Islands Volcano Monitoring Blog)
One of the remotest active volcanoes is in eruption again. In a satellite image from 26 August 2015 obtained from the NASA’s Earth Explorer program, the east flank of Mount Michael volcano can be seen stained grey which strongly indicates that an eruption took place.
Courtesy of volcanodiscovery.com
Cuban doctors ready to assists Ecuadorians amidst volcano threat
The Cuban medical brigade in Ecuador is ready to assist the local population in the event of the eruption of the Cotopaxi and Tungurahua volcanoes, which have increase activity over the past few days.
Doctor Maria Isabel Martinez, head of an 800-member medical brigade in Ecuador, said that the doctors, nurses and technical personnel deployed in risky zones will occupy their position in the event of an eruption.
The two volcanoes, located at just 100 kilometers from each other, have increase activity with ashes affecting nearby settlements, while their irruption is not discarded by experts.
Courtesy of cubanews.ain.cu
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