Dead fish mysteriously washed ashore on Duke of York Islands

People on Duke of York Islands in East New Britain province are searching for answers following an unexplained death of fish found on their beaches on Tuesday.

Timothy Stanley - the ward member of Molot and William Taupa of Urakukur ward -the two heavily populated wards on the island said most of the fish are small species.

The local Ward Members described the scene on their beaches as unusual and unlike anything the villagers have encountered in the past.

“We don’t usually see dead fish washed ashore in large numbers...most of them small. This is the first”, Timothy Stanley said.

Both ward members said the initial reaction among the villagers pointed toward 'poison vine' a traditional fishing method involving the use of crushed poisonous vines to stun fish.

But that method has been restricted on the island.

Even if it is still being used discreetly by fishermen, its effects may not last longer in sea water to cause this level of impact.

The two ward members believe, it might be something else.

Urakukur ward member, William Taupa said, “There are big ships that come around and berth in our waters. The ships belong to the seabed mining. We are suspecting, they are mining for gold on the seabed and also using poisonous chemical during the process. That might have killed the fish”.

The reported instance comes five weeks after a similar occurrence, reported along the northeast tip of the Gazelle Peninsula, on one end of the St. George Channel.

On the other side of the Channel, in New Ireland, coastal villages have also reported similar occurrence.

“We have told everyone in the villages on the island not to eat dead fish if they find them on the beach”, Mr Taupa said.

The East New Britain provincial Disaster Center has since cautioned coastal communities in the province not to eat dead fish found on the beach.

The Chairman of the provincial disaster committee - Levi Mano says a team of marine experts from the University of Natural Resources and Environment had been engaged to collect samples and do laboratory tests.

A report is yet to be made public.

"We will issue a public announcement once the report is finalized," Mr Mano said. "In the meantime, refrain from consuming any fish found washed ashore; only eat fish that you have caught yourself."

With the findings of the first incident still pending, the Duke of York Islanders are concerned, yet again by reports of the second wave of dead fish this week.

They are worried that if more dead fish are found in the coming days, then the authorities may restrict them from fishing - a daily activity that supports their livelihood on the island.