DOE Investigates Fish Kill Amid Unconfirmed Industrial Waste Claims

The Department of the Environment continues to investigate the fish kill reported near Isabella Bank and Scotland Halfmoon, amid unconfirmed reports that industrial waste may have contaminated the waterway.  Information circulating within the affected communities suggests that waste discharged by a factory may have contributed to the contamination. However, that claim has not been confirmed, and no factory has been officially identified as the source of the incident.  DOE personnel remain in the area observing conditions, collecting information and processing water and fish samples. The results are expected to help investigators determine the type of contamination involved and trace its possible source.  UDP Leader Tracy Panton was asked whether the Opposition was monitoring the developing environmental situation. Panton said the matter was not yet at the forefront of her agenda because she was awaiting reliable feedback from representatives on the ground.

Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition: “We have our caretakers on the ground in the Belize River Valley area doing an assessment for themselves. We’re waiting for a report and some more detailed information so we can’t implicate anyone at this time until we have all the information in hand.”

Residents previously reported seeing dead fish along sections of the river and raised concerns that the water may have been contaminated. As a precaution, people in the affected communities have been advised not to consume fish collected from the area until authorities provide further guidance.  The DOE has not yet announced a definitive cause of the fish kill. Any link to a factory or industrial discharge remains an allegation pending the completion of testing and the department’s investigation.