Hundreds of dead fish and thousands at risk in the Riuet de l’Illot
The dumping of fecal waters, the dirt dragged by the storm and the lack of water renewal worsen the situation of the wetland
ManacorHundreds of dead fish and thousands more at risk. This is the scene that the Riuet de l’Illot, a wetland located between the municipalities of Manacor and Sant Llorenç des Cardassar, has left this weekend. The recent rains and strong winds, which particularly affected the coast of Manacor between Thursday and Friday, have washed dirt and debris into the Riuet, adding to the sewage discharges that still occur in the area.
Mullets, sea bass, groupers, sardines, a large quantity of eels, conger eels, prawns, and sole are floating in the water waiting to be removed. Local fishermen warn that high temperatures, humidity, and wind changes could worsen the situation and cause a strong odor in the coming hours. "In a couple of hours, all this will smell unbearable. In fact, it already does. Nothing has been done here for years, and that's why these things happen," they explain.
The situation has been aggravated by the lack of water renewal. The pipes that bring renewed water to the Riuet from the other side of Illot beach, within the municipality of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar, have not been functioning normally until the last few hours.
Some residents of Riuet explain that the water supply is discontinuous and insufficient and denounce the lack of maintenance of the area. This situation makes it difficult for fish to survive due to the lack of oxygen in the water.
When the pipes have been put into operation, shoals of fish have been seen clustered around the water outlets, trying to survive. Others, already half dead, were sticking their mouths out of the water and practically not moving. The springs have not been enough to renew the water in the wetland.
The images captured by photographer Pedro Riera show the magnitude of the mortality, with numerous fish floating in the water and a large number of specimens concentrated at different points of the Riuet.
The situation once again focuses attention on the maintenance of the Riuet de l’Illot, a wetland area that periodically is the subject of complaints from residents due to its state of conservation and the quality of the water.