SIBU, April 12 — An in-situ water quality test conducted at Kampung Kuala Nyalau beach in Bintulu showed no signs of contamination that could have caused a large number of dead fish washed ashore in the area.
Department of Environment (DoE) Bintulu chief Abdul Mazli Hafiz Abdul Malik confirmed that his department had received reports via social media regarding a large number of dead fish washed ashore at the beach.
However, he noted that the DoE has yet to receive any official reports of oil spills or chemical contamination in the vicinity.
“We visited the complaint location this morning to conduct monitoring and collect seawater samples for comparison with the Malaysia Marine Water Quality Standards.
“The in-situ water test carried out earlier showed no issues and no signs of pollution such as oil residues from vessels,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Abdul Mazli also shared that information obtained from villagers on-site suggests the fish deaths may have resulted from trawler boats discarding small, low-value fish — a practice known to occur from time to time.
Despite the absence of immediate signs of pollution, he said the DoE will continue monitoring the situation to rule out any other possible causes.
The incident gained some attention after Facebook user Haris Andthen posted videos and photos on Wednesday, showing large numbers of dead fish along the Kampung Kuala Nyalau beach.
In the video footage, the individual refrained from speculating on the cause of the phenomenon. — The Borneo Post
