Alexis Oliva, Director of the Association of Municipalities that Protect the Lake (AMUPROLAGO) said that they will not speculate on what may have caused the oddity without first seeing the results of the investigation conducted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Serna, who conducted several surveys in the area after the situation was discovered.

“What we need is to determine the cause…and take action,” said Oliva.

The first group of fish was seen in Los Naranjos, a Santa Cruz community of Yojoa, where they were found floating lifeless on the surface of Lake Yojoa.

AMUPROLAGO is awaiting studies from the Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Research (FHIA), on the water quality, because in areas where people have found dead fish, there have been levels of 1.4 milliliters of oxygen per liter, while the norm is six milliliters.

This could be one reason for the mortality. The lack of oxygen can occur, according to Oliva, when temperatures drop. The official recalled that in 2005, there were many dead fish found as well as lowered water levels.

Luis Fernandez, said this is the first time he has seen something in the area which has caused alarm in all the towns. “We conserve nature here, and to see a case like this worries us,” he said.

Denis Channels, responsible for the environmental analysis by Serna, said that the samples taken yesterday morning may identify the causes. He noted they found six different species of fish affected.