Cold weather from China’s mainland has caused heavy damage to fish farms in southern Taiwan, killing about half of the cultured milkfish in Tainan County.
The cold fronts arrived so quickly yesterday that farmers did not have time to take action to protect fish stocks. Fish farm operators are now working to cover ponds and pump in warm water in an attempt to save the fish.
Clam growers raising milkfish in the area also suffered heavy losses. Milkfish are grown in clam ponds to help keep clams free of algae. With the milkfish dying off, the algae will affect the quality and quantity of the clams.
About 70 percent of the fish lost were milkfish.
The government of south-central Yunlin county said about 37 hectares of clam-milkfish ponds had suffered damages.
