IPOH, July 12 — The thousands of dead black tilapia found in Sungai Kinta on June 30 are believed to have been dumped into the river by irresponsible parties, and not to have originated from its natural habitat.
Perak Science, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Teh Kok Lim said an investigation conducted with the Department of Environment (DOE) and the state Fisheries Department found that the fish most likely came from a fish farm.
“The dead fish appeared uniform and were not wild river fish. We suspect they were dumped into Sungai Kinta, and did not die naturally due to pollution.
“Water quality test results carried out by the DOE showed readings within a good range, with no signs of pollution that could have caused the sudden death of aquatic life,” he told reporters after launching the Perak Fisheries Department’s alien fish hunting programme at Taman DR Seenivasagam here today.
Meanwhile, Perak Fisheries Department director Mohd Ghazali Manap said immediate action had been taken to remove all the dead fish from the affected area.
“This swift action was crucial to prevent secondary pollution and minimise the impact on other aquatic life,” he said, adding that further investigations are ongoing to identify the individuals or parties involved in the incident. — Bernama