CUYAPO, Nueva Ecija – Local officials here described as “farthest from the truth” reports that a lake in northerwestern Nueva Ecija town is proliferated with janitor fish.
Mayor Amado Corpuz said they even welcome an investigation to dismiss reports that the presence of janitor fish at the Paitan Lake here threatens the livelihood of fishermen.
“That’s not true. It’s a false alarm. In fact, the DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources] has sent a team to check the report and they found none,” Corpuz said.
The lake is said to be rich in freshwater species such as tilapia, dalag, hito and liwalo, according to Councilor Bernardo Diaz.
The statements were issued by the local officials after Sen. Lito Lapid supposedly called for an investigation in aid of legislation on the alleged presence of janitor fish in major river basins in the country, including Paitna which was recently adjudged second cleanest body of water in Central Luzon .
Lapid filed Resolution 1020 calling for a Senate inquiry. The investigation will be conducted by the committee on environment and natural resources.
Reports said that janitor fish compete for food with the native catfish, carp, mudfish, tarpons, mullets, tilapia and other species found in Laguna De Bay and with bivalves and gastropods.
The senator from Pampanga also called on the DENR to address the issue, particularly the reported infestation in Marikina River, the 90,000-hectare wide Laguna De Bay and Paitan.
On the other hand, the DENR said that there are currently two species of janitor fish found in the country – the Pterygoplichthys pardalis in Marikina River and Paitan Lake and Pterygoplichthy disjunctivus found in Laguna De Bay.
Janitor fish were originally introduced in the early 1990s as an aquarium fish to clean algae. As an algae eater, it competes for food supply with other marketable fish in rivers, causing the displacement of native species.
Mayor Amado Corpuz said they even welcome an investigation to dismiss reports that the presence of janitor fish at the Paitan Lake here threatens the livelihood of fishermen.
“That’s not true. It’s a false alarm. In fact, the DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources] has sent a team to check the report and they found none,” Corpuz said.
The lake is said to be rich in freshwater species such as tilapia, dalag, hito and liwalo, according to Councilor Bernardo Diaz.
The statements were issued by the local officials after Sen. Lito Lapid supposedly called for an investigation in aid of legislation on the alleged presence of janitor fish in major river basins in the country, including Paitna which was recently adjudged second cleanest body of water in Central Luzon .
Lapid filed Resolution 1020 calling for a Senate inquiry. The investigation will be conducted by the committee on environment and natural resources.
Reports said that janitor fish compete for food with the native catfish, carp, mudfish, tarpons, mullets, tilapia and other species found in Laguna De Bay and with bivalves and gastropods.
The senator from Pampanga also called on the DENR to address the issue, particularly the reported infestation in Marikina River, the 90,000-hectare wide Laguna De Bay and Paitan.
On the other hand, the DENR said that there are currently two species of janitor fish found in the country – the Pterygoplichthys pardalis in Marikina River and Paitan Lake and Pterygoplichthy disjunctivus found in Laguna De Bay.
Janitor fish were originally introduced in the early 1990s as an aquarium fish to clean algae. As an algae eater, it competes for food supply with other marketable fish in rivers, causing the displacement of native species.
