On June 26, Suriname’s National Environmental Authority (NMA) issued an urgent public warning banning local residents from catching, consuming, or selling fish caught from the Moeroekreek waterway in Saramacca District, following the discovery of a widespread unexplained mass fish die-off in the region.
The alert was triggered after reports of dead and dying fish came from communities near the upper reaches of the Saramacca River, where the Moeroekreek is located, just a short distance from the Indigenous village of Pikin Saron. The NMA has confirmed it holds serious suspicions that an as-yet unidentified toxic contaminant has entered the water system, and has launched a high-priority joint investigation alongside other relevant government agencies to pinpoint the source and nature of the pollution.
Environmental officials also warned that the suspected contamination is likely moving downstream with the current, spreading northward along the Saramacca River. As a precaution, residents of all riverbank communities along this stretch of the waterway have been urged to heighten their vigilance and follow strict safety guidance while investigation results are pending.
The NMA outlined four key public safety recommendations for all residents in the affected area: First, avoid catching, eating, or selling any dead or sick fish harvested from the region. Second, do not use water from Moeroekreek or its immediate surrounding tributaries for drinking, food preparation, or any other household purposes for the time being. Third, limit unnecessary direct contact with the water as much as possible to reduce potential exposure risks. Fourth, report any new cases of mass fish mortality immediately to the district commissioner or other competent local authorities.
The authority emphasized that the investigation into the incident is being treated as a top public health and environmental priority. It confirmed that once more information becomes available about the root cause of the die-off and potential risks to human health and local ecosystems, the affected communities and general public will receive timely, full updates.