Belize River Recovers After Massive Fish Kill

Nearly two months after a massive fish kill alarmed communities in the Belize River Valley, the Department of the Environment says the Belize River has recovered, with water quality returning to normal levels and no chemicals of concern detected in fish tissue samples. In an update issued on Thursday, the DOE reported that extensive monitoring conducted since the early August fish kill found key water quality indicators have returned to baseline levels recorded before the incident. Tests showed that nitrates, phosphates, sulphates and chemical oxygen demand are now within normal ranges, while laboratory analysis of fish organs did not identify any substances of concern. The department said it will continue monitoring the river and overseeing corrective measures within the watershed. Officials have also installed a real-time water quality monitoring system on the Belize River to provide early warning of changes in river conditions, with a similar system expected to be deployed on the New River in the coming weeks.

 

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