Abstract

Buhi Lake serves as the main source of livelihood but despite the success in the aquaculture industry the lake often suffers from serious massive fish mortality called fish kill. This study investigates rainfall, atmospheric and water temperature, and dissolved oxygen as indicators of fish kill occurrences in Buhi Lake from 2013 to 2017. Monthly rainfall and atmospheric temperature data were obtained from Buhi Weather Forecast while water temperature and DO using Hobo data logger model U26- 001 at two sampling stations. Descriptive statistics and regression were used for the statistical analysis.rnResults of the study revealed that most fish kill events occurred from June to December 2013-2017, the months of August and November in particular when most typhoons occurred in Buhi. Findings also showed an increasing rainfall trend from 2013 to 2017, which correspondingly affects fluctuations in atmospheric temperature. The correlation analysis between DO, surface water temperature, and rainfall showed that the correlation was not significant (_P 0.5%). Results of regression show a weak relationship between rainfall to temperature (R2 = 0.46), rainfall to DO (R2= 0.04) and surface water temperature to dissolve oxygen ( R2= 0.37). The weak relationship of these parameters indicates that fish kill occurrence was believed due to the level of organic waste and triggered by the typhoon with strong winds because of the upwelling process. rnThe study recommends proper management in feeding and waste disposal of dead fish and water hyacinth and the development of preventive strategies designed to reduce the occurrence of fish kills in the lake.