Srinagar, May 26: The sudden death of a large number of fish in Dal Lake following heavy spells of rain in the last two days has triggered panic among locals even as experts called for proper scientific investigation to ascertain the cause of mortality.
Locals were surprised to see a large number of small dead fish, mostly fingerlings, floating on the banks of Dal Lake.
“I was surprised to see hundreds of dead fingerlings on Dal Lake banks near Nishat,” said Abdul Hamid, a pedestrian.
Videos of floating dead fish went viral with netizens also expressing concern on the phenomenon giving different theories for mass death of fish.
Experts too expressed concern over the large-scale mortality of fish and called for comprehensive studies to ascertain the real cause of death.
Dean Fisheries Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K) Farooz Bhat said that during summer, there was a large Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and due to depletion of oxygen, some species of fish die.
“Such incidents have also taken place earlier in Dal and Nigeen lakes. If waters are stagnated or organic, waste level is high, and fish mortality can happen,” Bhat said.
Former Dean Fisheries SKUAST-K M H Balkhi said mass mortality of fish happens due to multiple factors like strong winds, acid rains, and dynamiting. “This one in Dal Lake seems to be the result of post-wind mixing up of bottom hypoxic waters with upper layers causing oxygen deficiency in the water column. Strong winds may have resulted in overturn of the water column resulting in mixing up of anoxic, hypoxic bottom waters with upper layers. Subsequently this leads to oxygen deficiency in water and instantaneous fish kill,” he said.
“There has been a fluctuation in temperature in the past few days. This is a natural phenomenon and has been observed in the past also. There is no need to panic. We rule out any death due to use of chemicals. We have collected samples and are analysing circumstances leading to the death of fish, mostly fingerlings. We are constantly monitoring oxygen levels at 17 places in Dal Lake and so far there is no depletion of oxygen. Dissolved Oxygen is more than six, which is good,” Bhat said.
