Heavy metals issues in the management of Laguna de Bay, Philippines: An immediate concern
1996
Santiago, Alejandro E. (Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Binangonan, Rizal (Philippines). Aquaculture Department. Binangonan Freshwater Station)
Laguna Lake Basin encompasses a 90,000 hectare lake called Laguna de Bay and a watershed area of approximately 380,000 hectares. The Basin is the most densely populated region of the Philippines where manufacturing, trade and agricultural production are most active and lucrative. The Lake which produces 60,000 to 80,000 metric tons of fish annually, both cultured and wild, is most affected by environmental degradation, notable of which is pollution from toxic and hazardous substances such as heavy metals. A number of scientific articles reported the presence of arsenic, mercury, cadmium, chromium, copper, zinc, and lead in Laguna de Bay surface waters, sediments, and fishes. As General Manager from July 1994 to March 1996 of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), the Philippine Government Agency mandated to manage the resources of the Laguna de Bay Basin, the reported presence of heavy metals in fish was an immediated concern due to health implications. However, recommendations to declare the Lake as a calamity zone and ban all fishing activities in the Lake for three years was unrealistic and untimely. Most of the studies on heavy metals indicated concentrations within the permissible level. In view of insufficient solid data to support any management decision, other alternatives were made. An Inter-agency Committee was also created in 1995 to review and assess existing data on the level of heavy metals of Laguna de Bay and come up with a common stand on the actions to be taken by LLDA.
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