STAGNANT sewage water combined with high temperatures could have caused the death of thousands of fish which were found washed ashore along a Bahrain coastline yesterday, experts believe.
However, an investigation is underway by the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE) which collected samples of water and fish from Ma’ameer beach early in the morning.
At least 50kg of the dead fish washed up on the coast as early as 7am, giving off a foul smell.
“A team of biodiversity experts from the SCE visited the site and a survey of the entire bay is underway,” an environmental specialist at the SCE told the GDN.
“They collected samples of the water and the fish, which was identified as harshoon (a small inedible fish), and an investigation is underway into the causes of death, and water quality.
Report
“A full report is awaited while initial findings say that the entire lot is around 50kg and the fish is small in size, each up to five centimetres, maximum.
“The municipality authorities have been alerted and they are cleaning up the area.
“The release of sewage water from the Tubli sewage plant, which is not fully treated, into the coast could be one major reason that led to the deaths of fish.
“There is also the concern of water circulation being limited in the Ma’ameer coast.
“Definitely it is not just the high temperature, as we have no reports of similar concerns from other parts of Bahrain.”
Last month was the joint third hottest July on record in Bahrain, with an average temperature of 36C, which was 2.1C higher than normal and tied with both July 2012 and July 2016.
Meanwhile, residents in the area said every summer they found dead fish which they identified as mostly ‘maid’ – an edible variety.
“I woke up to foul smell from the coast and saw thousands of dead fish, mostly maid, washed ashore,” said environmental activist Mohammed Jawad.
“This has been happening at least for three years now, during the summers.
“The waste water from the Tubli plant is gathering into the Ma’ameer coast. We also have the issue of the Ma’ameer channel being blocked ever since Alba put up its route to carry aluminium to its wharf.
“The water is stagnant and not flowing freely into the sea, which means there is not enough oxygen for the fish.
“And in extreme hot weather, fish die and it is a health and environment hazard.”
The GDN reported last July that similar concerns were raised as dead fish were spotted in Tubli Bay.
A resident who had alerted authorities quoted people in the neighbourhood as saying they had been witnessing it for the last three or four years.
“Most of it is ‘maid’, which is an edible fish, and the dead fish settling back into the marsh will harm the marine wealth,” said Mr Jawad.
“This could spread to other coasts as well sooner or later, though in other coasts we don’t have the issue of stagnant water channel.
Wealth
“The Bapco refinery pipes connecting to its Sitra wharf, which was put in much before the Alba tunnels, could also be a reason for this occurrence (fish dying).”
The GDN reported in April that a new power plant that will convert sewage into energy is expected to prevent further pollution of Tubli Bay and contribute to a reduction in foul smell in the area.
Construction is set to start in around six weeks and work is being carried out by Bahrain-based OAK Group Hold.
The new sewage treatment plant will convert mainly treated sewage sludge into base-load power for the existing wastewater treatment plant.
raji@gdn.com.bh
&uuid=(email))