Six more tons of dead fish were pulled out Kuwait coastal waters on Friday night, the state KUNA news agency reported. Officials said some dolphins were found as well for the first time since dead fish began washing up on Kuwait's shores in mid-August.
Mohamed Al-Sarawi, the head of a special government committee on the problem cited by the Al-Qabas newspaper, said the situation "seems to be getting worse... which confirms that persistent pollution" is the cause.
It was the first time Kuwaiti officials had pointed to pollution as the reason for the marine catastrophe. Workers cleaned up some 22 tons of dead fish on Wednesday, August 29. Environment officials had blamed a heat wave, which has seen temperatures soar above 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in the shade.
On Sunday, the government slapped a ban on fishing in Kuwaiti waters and set up the committee. — (AFP, Kuwait City)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
