Las Ilusiones Lagoon experiences mass fish kill in Villahermosa

Thousands of dead sardines were found floating along the shores of Las Ilusiones Lagoon in Villahermosa, Tabasco. The discovery prompted crews from the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development (Semades) to deploy boats to remove smaller specimens from the area near Tomás Garrido Canabal Park and La Venta Museum Park.

Semades attributed the incident to a phenomenon known as “water turnover” or thermal shock, which disturbs bottom sediments and reduces dissolved oxygen levels. Authorities have urged the public not to collect or consume fish from the lagoon and to avoid discharging waste, oils, or debris into water bodies.

Experts noted that high seasonal temperatures combined with wastewater discharges into the lagoon exacerbate the mortality of vulnerable species. Biologist Rodrigo González Plata explained that these small fish are highly sensitive to thermal stress, pollution, and oxygen availability, making them the first to be affected when oxygen levels drop.