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Aquatic life in Lake Bosomtwi may be extinct within the next two years if fish farming with cages introduced on the lake is not halted. The use of cages containing algae has resulted in the depletion of oxygen, causing the death of other organisms, including fish, in the lake, a report by the Water Resources Commission (WRC), has revealed. Released last month after years of study by researchers, the report said, �The introduction of fish cages on the lake, apart from being illegal, is also generating serious environmental and public health problems.� The WRC has, therefore, served notice that operators of the venture must �remove the fish cages by the end of the year 2012�. Lake Bosomtwi and its catchment area have a rich biological diversity and the lake is one of six crater lakes in the world with unique features. Upon request by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, UNESCO is in the process of designating the lake as a biosphere reserve of cultural importance to the heritage of Ghana. According to the WRC report, the lake had no outflow, which means that there is no outlet for the water in the lake to flow into, indicating that all the water and pollutants from human intervention are bound to remain in the lake, with concentrations certain to increase in the future. �Within the period that the cage culture activity was noticed in June 2012 to date, monitoring exercises have shown obvious changes in the quality of the lake water,� it stated. It said there had been complaints from 13 surrounding communities of depleting fish stock, reduction in water volumes and skin itching. The residents confided in the researchers that they would be happy if the illegal cages were removed because the activity threatened their survival and source of income. They noted that the aquaculture served a personal and private interest and wondered why the authorities had looked on for a private citizen to endanger lives and a natural heritage. They claimed they could, by themselves, remove the cages but trusted that state institutions would not allow the impunity to continue, especially when the operator had no permit and was in clear contravention of the law. Experts contend that the feed used in cage culture has common ions, sometimes generating high and undesirable concentrations which cannot in any way be easily treated or washed away due to the closed nature of the lake, hence the high possibility of cage aquaculture increasing the level of pollution of the lake, with its attendant fish kills.