USDA Breeds Sterile Trout and Salmon for Aquaculture

Prologue

Here is another interesting news.  While many Filipino scientists have been finding  ways to propagate fish to increase its supply, the USDA developed ways to protect the environment by preventing reproduction in fish. 

This could very well be adapted in the Philippines particularly for introduced species.  It is indeed difficult to control the escape of introduced species in open waters just like the menace that the janitor fish brought to Laguna Lake.  Lately, the Featherback Knife fish, another aquarium fish, has been part of the regular catch of fish in the Lake. 

Perhaps it is time to seriously look at this new technology.

Massive Fishkill in Laguna Lake

(Photo from abs-cbnNEWS.com

After a long time, it was only last July 19,2010 right after typhoon Basyang did massive fishkill happened in Laguna Lake. Some 5,000 hectares of fishpen and fishcages were reportedly affected by this phenomenon.

Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) chairman Ed Manda issued a statement saying, “fishkill happens every rainy season when the lake's oxygen level goes down due to pollution. The pollution is caused by wastewater and garbage thrown into the creeks and rivers that flow into Laguna Lake”.

My question is, if the lake is polluted why do low oxygen levels in the lake effecting fishkills happen only during the rainy season? Further, the strong wind brought about by typhoon Basyang should have brought turbulence to the water thus increasing the oxygen level in the lake. Obviously, this did not happen because LLDA said that low oxygen level caused the massive fishkill.