The Nature Foundation will be holding Public Sessions informing the public regarding issues surrounding the Tilapia die-offs and the Great Salt Pond this Thursday at the University of St. Maarten starting at six in the evening. During the session the Nature Foundation will give a short presentation followed by time for a question and answer session where the public can ask questions regarding the Tilapia and the pollution in the Great Salt Pond.
The presentation will be centered on the testing results show that the Great Salt Pond is indeed faced with poor water quality, the predominant results which stand out are related to a drop in oxygen in conjunction with a rise in salinity or saltiness. This shows that yes, there is an issue with water quality in the Great Salt Pond, but that the primary reason for the fish die-off is the species itself and is not related to the Pond. The Great Salt Pond, as its name suggests, is a Saline to Hyper Saline Environment and although Tilapia can withstand salinity up to a certain point, after attaining a certain level the species dies massively.