ITANAGAR, 20 Aug: Officials from the department of fisheries, along with the state forest department and the veterinary department, visited the Papum and Poma rivers following reports of fish deaths in the area. Approximately 1 kilogram of dead fish was collected from both rivers and examined,
according to State Forest Research Institute (SFRI) scientist R.K Taj. He reported that no internal injuries were found, but ulcers were observed on the outer layer of the fish. Taj noted a bacterial infection in the fish, which is typically seen in pond fish but is unusual for river fish in this region. The team also tested the river water, which appeared normal. They observed that three to four species of fish that feed on algae were dying, but there were no reports of Mahseer deaths.
The scientist assured that the fish die-off would likely end soon, attributing it to climatic changes, possible mixing of pond fish into the rivers, or significant human activity. It was noted that fish deaths occurred in areas with human settlements but not in areas without human habitation.
