The Philippine Daily Inquirer reports that in Candaba, Pampanga, an area known for seasonal flooding, at least 2,000 hectares of fishponds have dried up, forcing fishpond workers to shift to planting rice, which is also water-dependent, and watermelon.

 

Estanislao Galang, a tilapia grower for 20 years said he would turn to rice planting this year because of his losses.

 

Galang said he bought 100,000 tilapia fingerlings in June last year and were all dead in less than two months. He said he is expected to lose PHP200,000 (US$4,343.58) this year.

 

Galang, who owns a 2-hectare fishpond, said too much heat asphyxiated the fish, adding that the fish kill is unlike any other. Like Galang, Virgilio Mangalino also lost his fish in less than two months because of the heat. Mangalino said he lost more than PHP500,000 (US$10,858.94), stating he will not risk growing fish and will plant rice instead. Galang and Mangalino said they would resume growing tilapia when the rains come.

 

The town government said pond owners lost at least PHP100 million (US$2.17 million). Candaba has 3,000 hectares of fishponds, making it one of the largest suppliers of fish in Central Luzon.

 

However, at least 80 percent of the ponds have not yielded fish since November. At least 500 fishpond operators are reeling from the drought's effects.