Fish kill forces temporary closure of Reach Falls
Published:Sunday | April 23, 2023 | 2:10 PM
The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) has ordered the immediate temporary closure of Reach Falls, one of Portland's premier tourist attractions, as a result of a fish kill.
In a brief recording obtained by The Gleaner, the UDC said that evidence is suggesting that poisonous chemicals were used in the river to catch fish and crayfish, which resulted in a fish kill that has caused an unbearable stench at the attraction.
The UDC stated that large numbers of dead fish and crayfish were spotted on Saturday and Sunday, which triggered the move to close the attraction as a precautionary measure.
Commenting on the closure, Mayor of Port Antonio, Paul Thompson, said it will adversely affect vendors whose livelihoods have been disrupted.
According to Thompson, this could create undue hardships for the vendors and their families, having already gone through the ravages of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
- Gareth Davies
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