BAGUIO CITY: City Environment and Parks Management Officer (Cepmo) Rhenan Diwas said the results of water tests done at Burnham Park Lake have proven that it is safe for raising fish.

Diwas said a water sampling was done at the lake before the dispersal of a fresh batch of fingerlings on Sept. 14, 2022, in line with the Department of Agriculture’s celebration of the 59th Fish Conservation Week observed from Sept. 12-16, 2022.

The test conducted by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Cordillera aimed to determine if the water is safe for fish breeding and if the fish from the lake is safe for consumption even if the city’s fishing activity at the lake is generally used for recreation.

“The result turned out to be good despite impressions that the lake is dirty and unsafe for hatching fish. It is just muddy because its bed is not cemented,” Diwas said.

A total of 1,500 red tilapia fingerlings were released at the lake. The city government through the Cepmo opened Burnham Lake to recreational fishing under a catch-and-release policy starting June 13.

To date, the office has processed a total of nine fishing permits on a per year basis and at least 15 permits for single sessions.