In September of last year residents living along the banks of the Sibun River complained that their main source of water, the Sibun River, was contaminated, covered with a thick green film as captured in this footage from our archives. Since then it was established that the inadvertent release of water from the fresh catch fish farm at mile 27 on the Western Highway caused the algae bloom.
While the company got off on that one with a strong warning, it seems that now it might have to pay, as again residents along the banks of the Sibun River are complaining about algae bloom. The Department of the Environment's Martin Alegria says it has been determined that the Fresh Catch Fish Farm is responsible for the Sibun River water turning green. He today told us that two weeks ago there was a leak from one of the fishponds and the effluent leaked into the Sibun River. Over the past two weeks, water coming down river has been low, and that, compounded by high temperatures has caused the algae bloom.
According to the country's Environmental Protection Act, persons or entities found guilty of this type of environmental damage can be fined anywhere between $500 and $25,000.
