Thousands of fish die in Malabon, Obando amid El Niño heat

Thousands of fish have died in Malabon and Obando, Bulacan, due to the hotter weather amid the El Niño phenomenon.

In a "24 Oras" report from Gabriel Gozales on Thursday, fisherfolk Enrique could barely catch anything in the fisheries near the Mega Dike in Malabon. He attributed this to the ongoing dry spell, as well as the previous flooding.

“Umiinit po yung tubig…kaya yung isda namamatay…Dati, hindi naman po ganoon. Pero ngayon, halos araw-araw po namamatay ang isda,” Enrique said.

(The water is getting hot… That is why the fish are dying. It was not like this before. But now, almost every day the fish are dying.)

Meanwhile, fisherfolk Ronaldo also makes his living by catching small fish and shrimp. Now, just like Enrique, he barely catches anything.

“Mahina po panghuhuli, halos nawala po yung mga hayop…lublob lang sa tubig ‘pag masyadong mainit pero mainit rin po yung ilog, sobrang init pa ng panahon,” Ronaldo said.

(There are fewer catches; the animals are almost gone… if it gets too hot, we go into the water, but even the river is too hot, the weather is so hot.)

Their catch is usually brought to the Dampalit Megadike, where they are sold. However, even there, the sales are slow.

“Yung huli namin, naiipon dalawang araw bago kami makabenta, di tulad noon, araw-araw,” fish vendor Jovelyn said. (The catch accumulates for two days before we get to sell them; unlike before, it was every day.)

Enrique said that they would welcome government aid if there was any.

According to the Association of Fresh Fish Traders of the Philippines, the El Niño heat will primarily affect the small pelagics such as galunggong and sardines.

“Yun pong mga isda na maliliit, maaari po na malakas yung water column o thermocline. Nagsiksikan po siya sa mabababaw,” said Association of Fresh Fish Traders of the Philippines President Jonjon Santos.

(The small fish's water column or thermocline could be strong. They are condensing in the shallow water.)

The prevailing El Niño phenomenon is expected to bring record-breaking heat until the first half of 2027.—Jean Mangaluz/LDF, GMA News