Karawang Environmental Agency Urges Residents Not to Consume Mass-Dead Fish in Irrigation Canals

The Karawang Regency Environmental Agency in West Java has urged the public not to consume fish that have died en masse in irrigation channels within the East Karawang region, as the water quality is still undergoing laboratory testing.

Luki Mantera Dwi Putra Romly, Head of Environmental Management and Regulation at the Karawang Environmental Agency, stated on Tuesday that officials have not yet been able to confirm whether the floating dead fish are the result of poisoning or other causes. Furthermore, the specific substances in the irrigation water triggering the mass mortality remain unverified.

Consequently, residents in the Karawang Wetan Ward, East Karawang District, and surrounding irrigation areas are advised to avoid consuming the dead fish. According to Luki, the incident has drawn significant public attention, with many people visiting the site to observe the dead fish, and some even collecting them to take home.

‘To ensure safety, we urge that these mass-dead fish not be consumed, as we do not yet know the contents within the fish that have died and are floating,’ he said.

The Karawang Environmental Agency, alongside the Citarum Harum Task Force, is actively investigating the cause of the thousands of dead fish. Officials have conducted water quality tests focusing on pH levels, which showed a value of 6, falling within the standard environmental range of 6 to 9. However, this result alone does not sufficiently explain the cause of death.

The agency has collected water samples for further testing in environmental laboratories. ‘We cannot yet conclude the cause and are still awaiting the laboratory results,’ Luki added. Until the investigation is complete, the public is advised to avoid consuming the fish to prevent potential health risks.