Suspected Low Dissolved Oxygen Levels Cause 1,000 Dead Fish in Yilan's Danaan River

(Central News Agency, Reporter Wang Chao-yu, Yilan, June 30) A large number of fish, estimated at around 1,000, were found dead in the Danaan River in Luodong Township, Yilan County today. After personnel from the County Government's Environmental Protection Bureau conducted tests, low dissolved oxygen levels were detected in the water. It is believed that recent significant weather changes and rising temperatures led to insufficient dissolved oxygen, causing the fish to die.

A netizen posted on a Facebook group this morning, stating that they discovered all the fish in the Danaan River had died when passing by early in the morning. Both large and small fish were floating on the surface, leading to suspicions of illegal discharge of toxic wastewater causing the fish kill.

Hu Bi-hui, Section Chief of the Yilan County Environmental Protection Bureau's Inspection Section, stated that bureau personnel arrived at the scene around 8 AM and found dead fish distributed along approximately 1 kilometer of the Danaan River, from the upstream to the midstream section, with an estimated number of 1,000.

Water quality tests showed a pH level between 7 and 8, with no abnormalities in water color. A patrol also found no abnormal wastewater discharge.

However, Hu Bi-hui pointed out that the dissolved oxygen levels in the water were only between 0.2 to 0.8 milligrams per liter. Generally, levels above 2 milligrams per liter are necessary for fish survival. The preliminary judgment is that due to recent significant climate changes and a sudden rise in temperature, the dissolved oxygen levels in the water have decreased, leading to the fish kill. (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150630

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