There is growing concern over recent reports of dead fish strewn along Fiji’s Coral Coast.
As well as observations in Vanuatu of hundreds of dead fish and invertebrates floating near Pango Village on Efate, at Emten Lagoon in Port Vila and Aneityum Island.
Fish kills can occur as a result of a number of factors, ranging from a release of toxic chemicals to low concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the water.
“This information is deeply concerning as warm water holds less dissolved oxygen than cooler water and once the level of dissolved oxygen drops below a critical threshold, fish and invertebrates can effectively suffocate,” explained Moses Amosl, director of SPC’s Fisheries and Marine Aquaculture Division.
He added: “This is especially an issue in shallow water habitats which can rapidly heat up and lose dissolved oxygen, and at night-time, algae respire, removing oxygen from the surrounding water.”
The Pacific Community (SPC) is reinforcing government warnings and urging people in affected areas to refrain from consuming the dead fish which may be harmful to human health.
Satellite data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has indicated that the temperatures of the waters surrounding Fiji and Vanuatu have been hotter than average since late January 2016.
Last year, NOAA predicted widespread bleaching in the Pacific Islands region over the 2015–2016 summer as El Niño conditions continue to intensify.
SPC’s analysis of the future impacts of climate change on fisheries show that reef environments will become even more fragile over the next 100 years, due both to human-induced climate change and to environmental degradation from human population pressure in coastal locations.
