More than 7,000 sardines die in Puerto Rico reservoir from lack of water

Almost 7,000 sardines have died over the last two days in a reservoir in northern Puerto Rico due to the drought that has been shrinking the water supply for two months, making this the third massive dying off of this fish species in less than two weeks.

The secretary of the Natural and Environmental Resources Department, Carmen Guerrero Perez, reported the situation Tuesday in a statement that said the fish perished in the Wildlife Refuge of La Plata Reservoir in Toa Alta.

"We ask citizens not to consume or come in contact with these dead fish, since they decompose rapidly and can put their health at risk," Guerrero said.

She recalled that access to the area was closed to the public on July 1 as a security measure because of the instability of the banks of the reservoir and the impossibility of using the boat ramp.

For her part, Wildlife Refuge manager Marinelly Valentin Sivico said that as happened twice before, the mortality was the result of less available dissolved oxygen for aquatic life due to the low level of the reservoir.

Between July 2-3, close to 8,000 sardines died off and a few days later the same disaster was repeated.

"With the reduction of oxygen in the reservoir, the most vulnerable fish are the sardines," Guerrero said.

"The purpose of these fish in the reservoir is precisely to serve and an indicator of water conditions behind our dams, while also providing recreational fishing," she said.



More than 7,000 sardines die in Puerto Rico reservoir from lack of water