Fish kill at Shishila incenses villagers

Mangaluru: An incident has come to light where miscreants attempted to illegally catch fish using copper sulfate near the Bargula check dam area, close to the famous Shishileshwara Temple, resulting in the death of thousands of fish.

It is suspected that this act occurred on Friday night, and on Saturday, locals were shocked to find dead fish floating in the water and lying on the riverbank. Toxic chemical caused the death of numerous aquatic creatures, including small fish, which were left abandoned at the site.

The Shishileshwara Temple in Belthangady taluk is famous for the ‘Devara Meenu’ (sacred fish), where devotees in large numbers throng to offer prayers and feed the fish.

Residents visited the scene to assess the situation on Saturday, and expressed concern over the incident. The area surrounding the Shishileshwara Temple, spanning about 2 km, is considered a protected zone for fish, and no fishing activities are allowed. This region holds religious and environmental significance, and special protection is provided to the fish. However, the use of toxic chemicals to kill fish, disregarding legal and environmental regulations, has sparked public outrage.

Matsya Hitarakshana Vedike president Jayaram Nellithaya said they informed the temple administration, police and the fisheries department, urging legal action against the culprits. “Dead fishes were found floating on the Kapila River, about 1.5 km away from the temple. Copper sulfate was used for fishing, and thereby polluted the river too. The endowment department has been showing no concern for the protection of sacred fishes in the river. No awareness programme has ever been carried out to outline the significance of the sacred fishes of Shishila,” Nellithaya said.

Stating that the inhumane act has caused great distress among environmentalists and devotees, he said that all departments concerned should take necessary steps to prevent such instances in future.

“Locals are concerned that mixing toxic substances like copper sulfate into the water not only harms the fish, but also affects the entire aquatic ecosystem, water quality, and environmental balance,” he said.

The public demands that the relevant department immediately conduct a site inspection, collect water samples, and carry out a scientific investigation. Additionally, they insist on identifying the perpetrators of such acts and enforcing strict legal measures against them.