Mystery as lake turns into fish graveyard

Gulf News -- Hundreds of thousands of fish have mysteriously washed up dead in a lake in Jumeirah Islands much to the horror of residents.

Dr. Reza Khan, Principal Wildlife Specialist at Dubai Municipality, attributed the mass deaths to low oxygen levels in the water caused by overpopulation of fish and algae, though this is yet to be confirmed by authorities.

Residents said the stink of the rotting piles of fish has engulfed parts of the neighbourhood.

“It’s so rank that we had to shut our windows,” said a resident of Cluster 42. “The sight is horrifying and the stench unbearable,” said another man who lives here.

A thick white foam-like substance has been spotted bubbling to the surface of the lake, sparking fears that the water may have been polluted.

Dr Khan said the fish deaths were caused by a natural phenomenon called ‘fish kill’ or ‘fish-die’ where an entire population perishes due to lack of sufficient oxygen in the water. This usually happens when there is an over-population of fish or if there is an algae bloom inside the lake.

“Fish kills are often the first signs of environmental stress and must be investigated further.Many fish species have low tolerance for variations in environmental conditions and their death is often an indicator of a problem,” said Khan.

He said the lake needs to be regularly replenished with water and fish need to be removed every three months as they tend to over-populate quickly. “This is especially true in a closed lake,” he explained.

Developer Nakheel said: “We have prioritised the matter by carrying out necessary cleaning work. Meanwhile, our environmental team is investigating further. We assure residents that water quality and circulation levels continue to be well within the accepted standards.”