Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo — A mass die-off of fish in the Salina Grande lagoon on Wednesday morning has been attributed to oxygen depletion, sparking calls from residents for the municipal government to install aeration systems to prevent future incidents.
Thousands of fish of various sizes, including large specimens, were found gasping for oxygen at the water’s surface and along the lagoon’s edges before dying. Locals described the scene as alarming, with fish desperately seeking oxygen.
Resident Noemí Uh had warned that such an event was likely, noting that similar conditions had occurred last year when rainfall was scarce. Although light rain fell two days ago, some speculate that runoff may have carried pollutants into the lagoon, exacerbating the oxygen depletion as water levels drop due to evaporation.
Residents are urging ecology officials to conduct field studies to assess the situation and install aerators, which were last used during a similar die-off a decade ago.
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