Lake loses Rp 1b in fish

PADANG, West Sumatra: More than 75 tons of fish, bred in floating nets in Maninjau Lake, Agam regency, have died en masse of sulphur poisoning.

The loss is estimated at almost Rp 1 billion (US$100,000).

Agam Regency Disaster Mitigation Agency head Isfaemal said the fish had died due to the storm that lasted from 4 p.m. local time until night Friday.

”The stormed is believed to have stirred up the contents of the lake, including sulphur deposited on the base of the lake, thus depriving fish in floating nets of oxygen,” he said by phone Friday.

Thousands of fish have died from at least 400 floating nets in Tanjung Raya district, Agam. — JP