By Justin Ilano
Dredging activities in Manila Bay may have caused the dispersal of flounder fish or locally known as “tampal-puke” in coastal waters of Cavite, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said Friday, June 23.
According to BFAR Spokesperson Nazario Briguera, the reported surfacing of flounder fish in Manila Bay is yet to be evaluated, but may be attributed to the dredging activities.
“We don’t have [a] straightforward, definite answer for that. It could be the reason that dredging activities within the bay [that] may have caused the dispersal of flat fish to other areas,” he told PTV Digital.
“But, its direct effects on its behavioral habits have not been evaluated critically, ibig sabihin there’s no specific study yet attributing the phenomenon to the dredging activities,” Briguera noted.
Meanwhile, BFAR confirmed there is no record of a similar incident in some parts of the country.
“[Kailangan] muna na magkaroon tayo ng komprehensibong pag-aaral kasi unang-una, ‘yung flatfish o flounder fish ay hindi naman siya endangered specifies,” Briguerra stressed.
“In fact, in terms of conservation status, least concern ito, which means that its population is relatively stable,” he added. – cf, gb
