Copper cables blamed for fish deaths
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Several 1,000-foot-long copper cables were found on Friday in Taungthaman Lake near Mandalay and officials claim they are responsible for the recent fish deaths.
Dead fish are washing up along the shore of Taungthaman Lake – known for major tourist attraction, U Bein Bridge in Amarapura Township, Mandalay.
"Fish have been floating on the lake for three or four days. I've seen tourists taking pictures of them. The smell is terrible," said a photographer there.
It is common to see some dead fish when the water level is low but not in such large numbers.
Residents noticed the cables and the police and officials removed the cables.
“We’re now investigating who put the cables there,” said an Amarapura Township Police spokesperson.
Dead fish recently began washing up along the shore of the lake, known for its tourist attraction U Bein Bridge.
“We can’t tell the cause of the incident but I’m sure the fish were not killed by electrocution. We’ve examined the water but not yet the bodies of the fish,” said the head of the Fishery Department.
No one, including the owner of the lake, was allowed to catch fish by electrocution, the department added.
There have been conflicts between lake’s owners and people who fish at night. Since 1996, the lake has been enclosed with the fishery business controlled by auction.
