MASS FISH DIE-OFF: "Heartbreaking Images Can Be Seen For MILES,... AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE,..." - Fish Are Dying In Mass In Florida; El Nino, Warmer Temperatures, And Toxic Algae Are Leading To ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER?! [VIDEO]

Alex Gorichky via CNN

March 25, 2016 - FLORIDA, UNITED STATES - Florida may be the fishing capital of the world, but you'd never know it from the latest scenes around the state's Indian River Lagoon.

Usually idyllic beaches, waterways and estuaries near the massive, biodiverse ecosystem along central Florida's Atlantic coast are littered with scores of dead, rotting fish; an estimated hundreds of thousands of them are floating belly up in brackish, polluted water as far as the eye can see.

"The heartbreaking images can be seen for miles," said Mike Conner, who has been fishing the area since the 1970s. "All up and down the coast, it's the same story, and it could get worse before it gets better."

But the devastation isn't merely what is visible on the surface; it runs far deeper.

El Nino has soaked Florida recently, even during its usual "dry season."

In January, parts of central Florida received triple the amount of rain they normally do for the month. All that rainwater eventually made its way into estuaries via urbanized neighborhoods, picking up fertilizer and other pollutants along the way.

But that's not all.

Temperatures were warmer than usual during the winter, allowing a toxic algae bloom and brown tide to deplete the water of oxygen.

Ed Garland, a spokesman for the St. John River Water Management District, said officials can't determine the effect from the brown tide on the seagrass yet since the water is too cloudy. In 2011, more than half of the seagrass reportedly died off, and there are still damaged areas from that die-off.

These scenes are no doubt jarring to the eyes -- and not to mention the nose -- but state environmental officials said they have happened before.

"Fish kills happen all the time," said Kelly Richmond of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. "This is a massive kill, but there are fish kills all over the state."

However, Richmond conceded, "We have had brown tide there before but nothing to this extent."

The impact extends beyond the shores of the Indian River Lagoon -- comprised of the Mosquito, Banana River and Indian River lagoons -- and into the pocketbooks of Floridians, especially those in the state's two most profitable industries: tourism and fishing.

"Our oysters are dead, seagrasses are dead," said Conner, the fisherman. "It (will be) hard to recover. You never fully recover."


WATCH: Fish are dying in mass in Florida.

- WCVB.

 

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Disaster Precursors - THOUSANDS Of Dead Fish Wash Ashore At Lake Alalay, Bolivia?!

March 12, 2016 - BOLIVIA - Thousands of small sardine-like fish have been found dead in lake Alalay, but no one is completely sure what caused oxygen levels in the lake to drop so dramatically

Thousands of dead fish have washed up onto the shores of a lake in Bolivia.

Just before they died, some of the fish had just hatched from their eggs in lake Alalay, in the central Bolivian city of Cochabamba.

No one yet knows the number of dead fish, but they have stockpiled five cubic metres (177 cubic feet) so far, so it's possible there is over a tonne of dead fish in the lake.

According to local media reports, the most affected species was the "platincho" fish which is similar in appearance to sardines.

The fish carcasses were taken to a local dump.

Authorities believe low oxygen levels in the waters of Lake Alalay, due to the the highly polluted water, in addition to the last heatwave in 2015, led to the massive fish kill, but the exact cause of the conditions were unclear.


WATCH: Mysteriously massive fish kill in Bolivia.

Oxygen levels dropped from 5 millimetres per litre to 2.8 millimetres, according to a preliminary laboratory report, released by local authorities.

Results will be compared with reports from SEMAPA, Cochabamba's municipal water company and the University of San Simon.

Environmentalists have said the lake is constantly threatened by fires, namely one last year, as well as discharge of sewage.

Authorities are analysing an immediate measure to oxygenate the lake to prevent more fish from dying. Nevertheless, local media reported equipment to help oxygenate the lake was not working.

"It is an environmental disaster. Thousands of fish are already dead, or millions of dead fish. You can see wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow and mechanical shovels full of unfortunately dead fish," said an unidentified natural resources worker.

In 2015, local authorities allocated a budget of 9 million bolivians (£900,000) for the recovery of the lake to no avail.

"They are small fish that were just hatching, or just coming out of the eggs, they were growing and as they were weak, they have not been able to resist this kind of change and that is why they have died," said an environmentalist from the municipality of Cochabamba.

Alalay is the last urban lake that lies within the city of Cochabamba.

The lagoon was created around 1930 to prevent flooding of the city with the swelling of River Rocha but it also helps to absorb moisture and organic matter. - Telegraph.

MASS FISH DIE-OFFS: "This Is Very Uncommon" - Thousands Of Dead Fish Wash Ashore In Hancock County, Mississippi?!

Land servicing crews picked up thousands of dead fish that washed ashore along the beach in Bay St. Louis and Waveland on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015. © Jennifer Lenain/Sun Herald

December 31, 2015 - MISSISSIPPI, UNITED STATES - Thousands of dead fish were picked up by land servicing crews in Hancock County on Sunday, and officials say it may be associated with the red tide algae that spread through South Mississippi waters earlier this month.

A dump truck driver told the Sun Herald that he began loading dead fish on the beach near Washington Street early Sunday morning. By 1 p.m., he had made his way to the shoreline in Waveland near Buccaneer State park. He said crews picked up about 15,000 fish.

Hancock County Chief Deputy Don Bass said most of the fish washing ashore have been black drum. Bass said Hancock County Emergency Management received calls about the fish early on Sunday, and the agency has been working with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to remove the fish.

Bass said the county has received some phone calls over the past two weeks about dead fish washing ashore, and those instances were associated with the red tide algae blooms as it moved westward into Louisiana.

The red tide algae that swept through South Mississippi waters earlier this month was responsible for the deaths of thousands of fish that washed ashore in Harrison and Hancock counties. On Dec. 11, the algae blooms shut down oyster reefs across the Coast, and they may remain closed until March.

Land servicing crews picked up thousands of dead fish that washed ashore along the beach in Bay St. Louis and Waveland on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015.© Jennifer Lenain/Sun Herald

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/counties/hancock-county/article51784535.html#storylink=cpy

© Jennifer Lenain/Sun Herald

© Jennifer Lenain/Sun Herald

The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources suspects the deaths are related to red tide algae that moved through the Mississippi Sound in early December. © Jennifer Lenain/Sun Herald

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/counties/hancock-county/article51784535.html#storylink=cpy

Melissa Scallan, spokeswoman for the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, said the agency believes the red tide is responsible for the fish deaths in Hancock County. She said dead crabs may have washed ashore as well. DMR will sample the water Monday to be certain.

Scallan said the red tide algae has been moving west and should be in Texas waters, but the effects can still be lingering in South Mississippi.

Officials told the Sun Herald this string of algae blooms is one of the worst in South Mississippi history.


WATCH: More dead marine life washing ashore in Hancock County.

Algal concentrations, measured in cells per liter of water, must reach 5,000 cells per liter to cause oyster reef closures. Water samples taken Dec. 12 in some areas in Mississippi held concentrations of more than 1 million cells per liter, DMR Chief Scientific Officer Kelly Lucas said.

"This is very uncommon," she said. "We have had a bloom before, in the 1990s, but I don't think we've ever had cell counts that high." - Sun Herald.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Thousands Of Dead Fish Wash Up To The Surface Of A Lake Near Jakarta In Indonesia - Leaving Scientists And Officials Baffled?! [PHOTOS]

Staggering: Thousands of fish lie floating on the top of the water near the Citra Lake in Jakarta, -Indonesia

December 24, 2015 - JAKARTA, INDONESIA - Fishermen have been left struggling in Indonesia after thousands of fish died near the Citra Lake, leaving scientists and officials baffled by the cause of their dramatic deaths.

Hundreds of tons of dead fish were found floating in waters near Jakarta with torrential rains around the area being blamed for their deaths. The department of fishery have suggested that the heavy rainfall may have caused a sudden rise in the water temperature.

The change in conditions is thought to have been behind the decimation of the fish population in the local water, leaving fishermen and local volunteers forced to clean up the waters in order to ward off further deaths.

Devastating loss of life: One fisherman holds up one of the larger fish which died in the water recently

Mysterious circumstance: It is unclear what caused the fish deaths, with the department of fishery suggesting it could be due to a change in the temperature of the water

Helping hand: One helper uses a basic net to slowly fish the animals out of the water in a bid to clear the lake of the dead fish

Needing plenty of help: A small team of volunteers dressed in matching orange tops begin to remove some of the dead fish

Shocking scenes: Some of the boats struggle against the sheer volume of dead animals in the water near Citra Lake

Worrying: One Greenpeace campaigner said the deaths were related to a rise in water from contaminated rivers

Dirty work: Wearing a pair of wellington boats, the workers have been wading through the sticky mud and removing the dead fish

Tough work on the water: One of the boats struggles to manage the vast quantity of dead fish flowing in the water near Citra Lake

Tragedy down by the lake: A sample of the dead fish are bagged up

A long day ahead: The workers have been struggling to deal with the vast amount of fish which have died in the water

A lack of oxygen for the fish may have caused the massacre and experts are taking samples of the dead fish to determine their cause of death.

'In the morning, I found just a few dozen dead fish [floating on the water] but as hours went by, the number grew to hundreds and it created a foul stench,' Bambang, a 47-year-old fisherman at Muara Angke port told the Jakarta Globe.

'It is not unusual that many fish die, like this. But this year, there has been an increase both in the frequency and the volume,' he said. - Daily Mail.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Disaster Precursors - Thousands Of Dead Fish Continue To Wash Up On Florida Beaches!

Dead fish. © Chuck Coker

December 23, 2015 - FLORIDA, UNITED STATES - Thousands of dead herring provided an odious distraction Monday from otherwise hospitable beach conditions, dotting the shoreline from south of Patrick Air Force Base through Melbourne Beach.

They appear to be the same species of fish — thread herring — found washed up along other beaches along the Space Coast last week. Countless thread herring washed up dead Thursday along beaches in Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach.

"There was nothing out here yesterday," said Ron Van Kempen, a seasonal resident from Minnesota, fishing just south of Patrick AFB Monday. He cast his fishing line among floating herring corpses, which also speckled the beach where he stood.

The cause of the fish kill remains unknown.


WATCH: Massive fish kill on Florida beaches.

State wildlife officials took water samples but don't expect results back until next week, said Frank McCloy, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

While state tests last week found moderate levels of red tide in Southwest Florida, there have been no harmful algae blooms reported in eastern Florida.

The fish lack any marks that would indicate they were discarded from a fishing net.

People should avoid contact with the fish, officials said.

"Stay away from it, don't touch it, don't eat it," McCloy warned.

FWC also received report last Wednesday of about 100 dead fish in the Port St. John area of the lagoon. That species has yet to be identified. - USA Today.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Disaster Precursors - Thousands Of Dead Fish Found On Brevard County Beaches, Florida?!

Dead fish on Brevard County beach

December 19, 2015 - FLORIDA, UNITED STATES - Thousands of dead fish have washed ashore on Brevard County beaches.

The fish were first seen at daybreak on Wednesday in Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach, but have spread further along Brevard County and continue to wash ashore on Thursday.

The fish appear to be American Shad which are typically found offshore except during late winter spawning run into east coast rivers, especially the St. Johns River.


WATCH: Thousands of dead fish wash up on Brevard County beach.

A Herring species, Shad typically die after spawning in warm Florida waters, but survive after spawning in colder waters in northern states.

Although onlookers have suspected a bout of red tide as the cause of the fish kill, no other fish species except Shad have washed ashore. - Brevard Times.

MASS FISH DIE-OFFS: Disaster Precursors - Widespread Fish Kill Reported In Mobile Bay, Alabama?!

Fish kill Mobile Bay

December 13, 2015 - ALABAMA, UNITED STATES - A widespread fish kill is underway across Mobile Bay. It appears to be affecting primarily filter-feeding fish such as menhaden, sardines, alewives and shad.

Dead fish are present in the shallows and on beaches on both sides of the bay, from Point Clear to Daphne on the eastern shore and from Arlington Point south to Fowl River on the western shore. Dead and dying fish also dot the surface of the bay, from one side to the other.

The kill does not appear to be related to a red tide bloom occurring in the Gulf of Mexico and around Dauphin Island. Instead, the bloom in the upper bay appears to be another species of algae with a similar neurotoxic effect on fish.

Fish affected by the algae swim in a markedly erratic fashion, zipping straight ahead for a time, then falling into lazy circles, often swimming on their side or even upside down.


WATCH: Fish kill in Mobile Bay.

AL.com collected samples of sick fish and the water where they were found during trips across the bay, from Fairhope to the mouth of Fowl River, on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Those fish were provided to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab for analysis. In addition, AL.com measured oxygen levels and salinity where the samples were collected using a YSI meter, a standard tool for environmental sampling.

"There does not appear to be a correlation with oxygen or salinity," said Andy Depaola, a microbiologist with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration lab on Dauphin Island. Depaola participated in the AL.com sampling trip. "Those oxygen levels were not low enough to kill fish."

Alison Robertson, who specializes in harmful algal blooms with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, said she had ruled out red tide, which is caused by an organism called Karenia brevis, in the bay. The red tide algae prefers the high salinity found in the Gulf of Mexico. It does not do well in lower salinity, particularly the low levels of salt measured in the AL.com sampling.

Robertson said she had received numerous reports of dead fish from locations all around the bay. She is working to isolate the algae causing the problem.

"Along the Gulf coast, Destin to Dauphin Island, we have had many fish kills over the past 7 weeks that we have shown were associated with Karenia (red tide) blooms offshore," Robertson said.The toxins associated with red tide were found in the guts and flesh of fish from those kills.

"The fish kills being seen in and around Mobile Bay at the moment are inconsistent with that, and there are in many cases none or at least very low numbers of Karenia in the Bay waters that we have tested alongside affected fish," Robertson said. "Lots of small menhaden are being reported in many areas -- from Weeks Bay to Fairhope, to Fowl River -- exhibiting spiraled swimming or swimming sideways. We tested dissolved oxygen in over 26 sites over the past 2 days and everything looks great, levels between 7-10 mg/L which is exactly what we would expect based on the water temperature."

Robertson said her lab was investigating whether there was another phytoplankton species affecting the fish. She said that other most other algal species do not pose a human health concern.

"We are following those leads right now," Robertson said. "A few fish collected were dissected and examined under microscope but there are no overt signs of problems and the gills look healthy."
She noted that all of the samples provided to her by AL.com were small juveniles.

"While this is concerning and we will continue to look at the cause of the kills, we are really only seeing the very small planktivores being affected at the moment," Robertson said. "And fish such as menhaden are particularly sensitive to changes in their environment."

Dead or dying fish were visible at all times during the AL.com trips across the bay. Pelicans were seen swimming around on the surface of the bay scooping the dead fish out of the water. Likewise, pods of dolphins were seen gorging on the stricken fish.

Algal blooms in the bay typically peter out after a few days. This bloom has been particularly long-lived, and is already into its second week.

While only filter feeding fish have been affected, fishermen around the bay have reported that both speckled trout and redfish appear to have vacated the areas where the sick fish are visible. - AL.

MASS FISH DIE-OFFS: Tens Of Thousands Of Dead Fish Found On Beach Near Jakarta, Indonesia?!

Thousands of dead fish along the coast reclamation Ancol, Jakarta (30/11/2015). Thousands of dead fish washed up on the beach
and is allegedly due to contaminated industrial waste.  © Liputan6.com/Gempur M Surya

December 2, 2015 - INDONESIA - Following the finding of tens of thousands of dead fish, resulting in a pungent smell, along Ancol Beach in North Jakarta on Monday, environmental campaign group Greenpeace has cited three possible causes for the phenomenon.

The first possibility, Greenpeace campaigner Arifsyah Nasution said on Tuesday, related to the accumulation of water from contaminated rivers on the northern coast due to rain.

"For example, water from the Ciliwung River contains organic materials and [dangerous waste] B3. During rain, this water can accumulate in the estuary, which is Jakarta Bay," Arifsyah said as quoted by kompas.com.

He added that the situation could lead to a lack of oxygen for fish. "The fish would be unable to survive due to the change in environment happening too fast," said Arifsyah.

He also said that the increased growth of a certain algae species during the rainy season could have led to competition for oxygen between plants and fish.

The third possibility, he added, was due to the B3 that came from several industries nestled in the coastal area of North Jakarta.

"The waste thrown out by [these industries] and the circulation in the seawater could lead to the death of Jakarta Bay fish," said Arifsyah, adding that the group needed to conduct further research to make a conclusive confirmation.

Previously, Jakarta Police spokesperson Comr. Edi Guritno said that he had received reports from residents regarding seawater anomalies near Ancol Beach prior to the discovery of the dead fish.

"According to locals, the sea has two types of water: clear and brown-colored," said Edi on Monday, adding that samples of the dead fish and seawater would be examined at the city's fisheries laboratory.

According to a report by kompas.com, the police and Ancol Beach management conducted a clean-up operation from 7 a.m. on Monday to transport the dead fish, which consisted of various species, to a nearby incinerator. - The Jakarta Post.

 

MASS FISH DIE-OFFS: Massive Fish Kill Spotted Along Glen Cove Creek, Glen Cove, New York - Experts Baffled?!

December 1, 2015 - NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - Long Island waters have seen yet another massive fishkill, with fish seen floating near the shores of Glen Cove Creek — many dead, but others just fighting to survive.

“There’s a lot of fish in a small area, they use up the oxygen and they’re fighting to breathe,” Lt. Lawrence Demmler, of the Glen Cove Harbor Patrol, said.

Demmler estimates well over a hundred thousand bunker fish have crowded the creek this year, opening their gills and mouths to desperately try to draw in more oxygen.

Dozens of fish have already died, with some sinking to the bottom. Others have floated to the shore to be picked apart by seagulls, CBS2’s Elise Finch reported.

“They’re just waiting for an easy meal,” Demmler said of the seagulls. “They’ve been doing it all morning.”

This recent die-off follows another massive fish die-off earlier this year on Long Island’s East End, where tens of thousands of dead fish were seen floating along the shores of the Peconic Bay.

Environmentalists believe the Glen Cove die-off is being caused by more than a lack of oxygen in the water, WLNY TV 10/55’s Long Island Bureau Chief Richard Rose reported.


WATCH: Glen Cove Fish Kill.

“We could do more testing of the water, we could understand the science better of what’s happening and we could put into action keeping people accountable,” Adrienne Esposito, of the Citizen’s Campaign for the Environment, said.

Esposito said the state needs to go after tankers spilling oil in the Long Island Sound. She also said the state should target leaking shoreline septic tanks and the excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers that decrease oxygen levels.

“People aren’t doing enough, I don’t know if I’m doing enough — I’m still using fertilizer on my lawn,” Dean Yoder, of Glen Cove, said.

Officials hope the colder temperatures will help boost oxygen levels and prevent another massive die-off. - CBS.

MASS FISH DIE-OFFS: Scores Of Dead Fish Appear In The Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon In Brazil - Deepening Concerns Ahead Of The 2016 Olympics In Rio de Janeiro?!

April 14, 2015 - BRAZIL - The bad news for Rio de Janeiro ahead of the 2016 Olympics keeps coming after scores of dead fish appeared in the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon.

With just over a year to go before the city hosts the Games' rowing and canoe competitions, officials with the legislative assembly of Rio de Janeiro Monday launched an investigation into the causes of death both in the lagoon and in other lakes and bays in the state in which this phenomenon has occurred.

The group will work in partnership with the State Environmental Institute (INEA) and the Secretariat of State for the Environment.

Officials defended the belief that the latest rains caused a temperature change of the water and the excess of decaying organic matter, which would have led to lack of oxygen killing the fish.

The note released by officials highlighted that the amount of dead fish has generated a bad smell and inconvenience to those who live near the lagoon and all the tourists that flock to the area.

Last week newly obtained footage from newspaper O Globo showed a sailor crashing into trash floating on Guanabara Bay.

The incident took place on February 14 and involved professional sailors Breno Osthoff, 20, and Rafael de Almeida Sampaio, 35.

According to Osthoff, the impact was so great the boat was forced onto its side.

Rio de Janeiro has pledged to reduce pollution in the notoriously fetid bay, but last month in an interview with the country's largest sports channel SporTV, Mayor Eduardo Paes admitted that the bay will remain mostly polluted for the games.

"The Olympics are also in a time that has very little rain, then this amount of debris that comes from five municipalities in the metropolitan region, with poor sanitation, is also controllable...I do not see as a problem for the Olympics," said Paes.

Last year biologists said rivers leading into the bay contained a superbacteria that is resistant to antibiotics and can cause urinary, gastrointestinal and pulmonary infections. - CNN.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: What's Causing This - Thousands Of Dead Fish Washing Up On A Beach In Milwaukee, United States?! [VIDEO]

June 25, 2014 - MILWAUKEE, UNITED STATES - Dead fish are washing up on Bradford Beach by the thousands! So what’s causing it?

FOX6 News spoke with Baylee and Brooklyn Bates. They’re sisters, and they were amazed by the amount of dead fish on Bradford Beach on Tuesday afternoon, June 24th.

So what, exactly is happening here?

FOX6 News spoke with John Janssen at the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences.

He says the fish are “alewives” — coming to shore to spawn.

Janssen says the fish are dying because they are starving.

Mussels in Lake Michigan are apparently stealing food in the food chain.

Janssen says a big temperature drop can trigger these massive “die-offs.”


WATCH: Dead fish washing up on Bradford Beach by the thousands.

”This is a saltwater fish, and they have difficulty living in fresh water. It just weakens them a bit,” Janssen said.

Janssen says we’ve seen this before, but this die-off is occurring a little later than we’re used to.

Lake Michigan is warming up slowly this year.

Meanwhile, the seagulls are fat and happy. When they see dead fish, it’s like a buffet for them! - FOX6NOW. 

MONUMENTAL MASS FISH DIE-OFFS: Disaster Precursors - Millions Have Been Found Dead All Over The World In The Past Month?!

May 22, 2014 - EARTH - Millions of fish are suddenly dying all over the planet.  In fact, there have been dozens of mass fish death events reported in the past month alone.  So why is this happening?  Why are fish dying in unprecedented numbers all over the world?  When more than six tons of fish died in Marina Del Ray over the weekend, it made headlines all over the United States.  But the truth is that what just happened off the southern California coast is just the tip of the iceberg.

A sheriff's deputy said that this incident is nowhere near the scale of a massive die-off at King Harbor
in Redondo Beach in 2011. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

In 2014, mass fish die-offs have pretty much become a daily event globally.  Individually, each event could perhaps be dismissed as an anomaly, but as you will see below when they are all put together into one list it truly is rather stunning.  So is there a reason why so many fish are dying?  Is there something that connects these mass fish death events?  Has something about our environment changed?

The following are just a few examples of the mass fish death reports that have been coming in day after day from all over the globe…

*In April, 500,000 carp were found "floating belly-up in Kentucky’s Cumberland River".

*Over the weekend, thousands upon thousands of fish died just off the southern California coastline…

California Fish and Wildlife workers are still scooping dead sea life from the surface of the harbor Monday after thousands of dead anchovies, stingrays and even an octopus died and floated up over the weekend.

So far officials have cleaned up 6 tons of dead fish, and they still have a long way to go.

*The death of approximately 35,000 fish up in Minnesota is being blamed on a "lack of oxygen".

*The recent die-off of thousands of fish in the Shark River near Belmar, New Jersey is also being blamed on "oxygen depletion".

*Officials in Menifee, California are still trying to figure out what caused the death of thousands of fish in Menifee Lake a few weeks ago…

Authorities continued testing the water in Menifee Lake Friday after thousands of dead fish have been seen floating since last weekend.

Menifee city officials first heard reports Saturday of floating fish at the lake, which is located on private property about a half-mile east of the 215 Freeway.

*In the Gulf of Mexico, dolphins and sea turtles are dying "in record numbers".

*Maryland officials are still puzzled by the death of 7,000 Atlantic menhaden last month…

State environmental scientists are investigating the cause of a fish kill that left about 7,000 dead Atlantic menhaden in waters that include the Inner Harbor and Fells Point.

Jay Apperson, spokesman for the Maryland Department of the Environment, said that biologists went by boat on Tuesday to the area of Monday’s fish kill. He says the area extended from the mouth of the Patapsco River, up the Baltimore Harbor to Fells Point and Fort McHenry.

*Mass fish die-offs in Lake Champlain up in Vermont are being called “the new normal” by government officials.

*Along the coast of northern California, seals and young sea lions are dying "in record numbers".

*Three months ago, farmers in Singapore lost 160 tons of fish to a mass die-off event.

*Back in September, approximately 40 kilometers of the Fuhe River in China "was covered with dead fish".

*Also during last September, close to ten tons of dead fish were found floating on a lake near the town of Komotini, Greece.

The following are some more examples of mass fish death events from just the past several weeks:

17th May 2014 – Masses of fish turn up dead in a marina in Pultneyville, New York, America. Link

16th May 2014 – Mass die off of fish in a river in Aragatsotn, Armenia. Link

15th May 2014 – Hundreds of fish dying off ‘due to pollution’ in the wetlands of Rewalsar, India. Link

14th May 2014 – Thousands of dead fish washing ashore in Cootes Paradise, Hamilton, Canada. Link

13th May 2014 – Tens of thousands of dead fish wash up along coast of Tasmania, Australia. Link

12th May 2014 – Mass death of fish in the river Eden ‘is a mystery’ in Cumbria, England. Link

11th May 2014 – Thousands of dead Puffer Fish, also dead turtles washing up on various beaches in Colombia and Costa Rica. Link and here

11th May 2014 – Hundreds of dead fish found in a pond is ‘a mystery’ in Southborough, England. Link

10th May 2014 – Thousands of fish dead due to pollution in spring in Sikkim, India. Link

9th May 2014 – Die off of Fish ’causes panic’ in the Luda Yana River in Bulgaria. Link

8th May 2014 – Thousands of dead fish appear in a lake ‘shock residents’ in Mangalore, India. Link

8th May 2014 – 12 TONS of dead fish removed from lakes in Chisago County, Minnesota, America. Link

7th May 2014 – Massive die off of fish in reservoirs in Quanzhou, China. Link

7th May 2014 – Thousands of fish found dead on the shores of Roatan, Honduras. Link

5th May 2014 – Hundreds of dead fish wash up on a beach ‘a mystery’ in San Antonio Oeste, Argentina. Link

5th May 2014 – Mass death of fish found in lakes in Almindingen, Denmark. Link

4th May 2014 – Mass die off of fish in a river in Fujian, China. Link

3rd May 2014 – 1,000+ dead fish wash ashore along a lake in Ontario, Canada. Link

2nd May 2014 – 40,000 fish die suddenly in a dam in Piaui, Brazil. Link

30th April 2014 – Mass fish kill ‘worst I’ve seen in 26 years of working here’ in Iowa, America. Link

30th April 2014 – Large amount of dead fish found floating along a river in Xiasha District, China. Link

29th April 2014 – Dozens of sea turtles are washing up dead in South Mississippi, America. Link

29th April 2014 – Thousands of dead fish washing up along the shores of Lakes in Wisconsin, America. Link

28th April 2014 – Turtles and other marine life continue to wash up dead in Bari, Italy. Link

28th April 2014 – Large fish kill found in the Mogi River in Brazil. Link

25th April 2014 – Large fish kill found in a reservoir in Nanchong, China. Link

24th April 2014 – Large amount of fish wash up dead along a river in La Chorrera, Panama. Link

23rd April 2014 – 2 Million fish found dead in a dam in Tehran, Iran. Link

23rd April 2014 – Mass die off of fish in Island lake in Ontario, Canada. Link

23rd April 2014 – Thousands of dead fish appear in a lake in Mudanjiang, China. Link

22nd April 2014 – 1,000 fish found dead in Oona River, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Link

21st April 2014 – Large amounts of fish washing up dead along the Panchganga River in India. Link

19th April 2014 – MILLIONS of dead fish found floating in Thondamanaru Lagoon, Sri Lanka. Link

And remember, this list represents events that have happened in just a little over the past month.

So what is causing all of these mass fish death events? - Activist Post.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: "Scientists Are Puzzled" - Early Fish Die-Off In Maryland Waters Centered On Baltimore Remains A Mystery?!

May 04, 2014 - MARYLAND, UNITED STATES -  As quickly as it started, a fish kill in Baltimore's Inner Harbor appears to be easing.

A skim boat filled with dead fish from Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

Alex DeMetrick reports what triggered the sudden die-off is still guesswork.

The city moved fast to remove the die-off, with skim boats collecting hauls more commonly seen on commercial fishing boats and as menhaden and shad died from the Inner Harbor out to the Key Bridge.

"And some of them were struggling at the surface, looking like they were trying to catch their breath. It was sad to see; it was just so widespread," said John Tapscott, Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Tapscott captains the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's educational boat in the harbor. Tuesday's trip spotted far fewer dead fish but none of the usual triggers of die-offs, which normally happen later in the year in far warmer weather.

"We didn't really see any classic sign and even the oxygen yesterday, there was enough oxygen in the water for the fish to breathe," Tapscott said.

"I think it's pretty certain some kind of combination of nutrients, runoff and organic matter," said Dr. Donald Boesch, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

Which takes rain to move off the hard surfaces of urban areas into the harbor and bay.

"People fertilizing lawns and gardens, animal waste," Boesch said.

Causing algae blooms that turn water brown during hot weather, choking off oxygen other life needs. But that's not happening - at least on the surface.

But wind could churn up dead water from below.

"So if you get a wind condition, it will take that material that consumes a lot of oxygen up to the surface," Boesch said.

But it's not clear if that happened this time.

"I think scientists are puzzled as to why. Everyone wants to know. I'd love to know why," Tapscott said.

Maryland's Department of the Environment says there are no signs of a toxic spill or a classic algae bloom. Answers from water tests will take at least a week.  - WJZ.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: "They're All Over The Lake" - Thousands Of Dead Fish Seen Along Wisconsin Shorelines After Harsh Winter!

April 30, 2014 - WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES - Thousands of dead fish are washing up on the shores of some central Wisconsin lakes.

In this photo taken April 28, 2014, a pair of dead fish lies in the sand along the East shoreline of Lake Petenwell
in Rome, Wis. Thousands of dead fish are washing up on the shores of some central Wisconsin lakes. AP Photo/Daily Tribune Media

Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources says the phenomenon is likely the result of thick ice that trapped fish in waters with low oxygen, Daily Tribune Media reported (http://bit.ly/1rB4iJ6 ) Monday.

"They're all over the lake, probably thousands and thousands," said Rome bar owner Tom Koren.

Residents near Lake Petenwell are seeing a second unusual sight - pelicans have come to scoop up the dead carp, walleye and other fish.

"We don't normally have pelicans here," resident Jim Kiehl said. "Then, I saw dead fish lying on the bank."

DNR Fish Team supervisor Justine Hasz says it's likely the pelicans are turning up because their normal staging grounds on Lake Michigan are still frozen.

The DNR expects the cold winter will result in more dead fish in lakes throughout the state. The department expects winter kill to be worst in shallower, backwater areas. Castle Rock Lake also may have been hit hard, Hasz said.

Hasz said the DNR planned to investigate the issue further on Tuesday. - Star Tribune.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: "I've Never Seen Dead Fish Like This" - Thousands Of Fish And Frogs Found Dead In A Pond In Killingly, Connecticut?!

March 27, 2014 - CONNECTICUT, UNITED STATES - Thousands of dead fish found in a pond in Killingly happened naturally, according to environmental officials.

A fish kill in Killingly happened naturally, DEEP said. (iWitness photo)

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said thousands of fish and frogs died at Colwell Pond, also known as Lions Park Pond. Many of them froze in clusters along a very popular neighborhood pond.

It was first reported by a neighbor who said she noticed it in an area off of Lewis Boulevard. She said she was concerned that chemicals may have caused it.

"We've never seen so many dead fish," said Malinda Frantz, of Killingly. "In 30 years, I've lived in the neighborhood and I've never seen dead fish. I've never seen dead fish like this."

The DEEP classified it as a winter fish kill, which meant the amount of dissolved oxygen in the pond had been depleted. It said snow or thick ice that can cover ponds blocks sunlight, and that prevents plants in the water from producing oxygen.


WATCH: Fish kill in Killingly a natural event.

DEEP said fish typically die in the winter and are usually noticed after the ice melts.

Employees with the town's parks and recreation department told Eyewitness News the fish will be cleaned up when the pond thaws out a little bit more. - WFSB.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Over 10,000 Fish Found Dead In Vasse Estuary, Australia!

February 07, 2014 - AUSTRALIA - The number of fish killed in the Vasse-Wonnerup Estuary this week has been revised to more than 10,000.

Thousands of fish have been found dead in the Vasse Estuary near Busselton. (ABC News: Roxanne Taylor)

City of Busselton workers spent yesterday cleaning up the dead fish, mostly mullet, around the Vasse floodgate area.

The Department of Water says high levels of toxic algae are present in the waterway, which is likely to have caused the fish deaths.

The department says the oxygen levels, which were blamed for the fish kill of the same size last year, all appeared normal this time.

Findings of an independent review into the waterway's management are set to be handed down this month. - ABC Australia.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Hundreds Of Dead Fish Wash Up At Thompson's Bayou In Florida, United States!

January 29, 2014 - FLORIDA, UNITED STATES - Hundreds of dead fish are being found in shallow water and along the banks of Thompson’s Bayou at the University of West Florida today.

Dead mullet and other fish have been washing up at Thompson’s Bayou on the University of West Florida campus.
Officials suspect the fish died as a result of recent cold weather. / By Will Isern/wisern@pnj.com

Dead mullet and other fish started to appear a few days after arctic cold weather hit the area two weeks ago.


Today, many dead fish could be seen around the bayou that flows into the Escambia River.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission suspects cold weather may be to blame.

Fish kills have been reported at various locations in Escambia County in recent days including Smith’s Fish Camp on the Escambia River, Herron Bayou and Perdido Bay.For more information or to report a fish kill vist http://myfwc.com/FishKill or call the fish kill hotline at (800) 636-0511. - PNJ.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: "Fishapocalyptic" - Monumental Fish Kill Due To Freezing Sea In Lovund, Norway; The Sea Froze So Fast That It Killed Thousands Of Fish Instantly!

January 14, 2014 - NORWAY - Norwegian public radio (Google-translated) reports on the instant dead of thousands of fish in a bay in the island of Lovund, Norway.

An air temperature of -7.8C combined with a strong east wind froze the sea water instantly, trapping and killing the fish you can see in the fishapocalyptic image.

The dog owner says that he has never seen such a phenomenon. NRK claims that the herrings were chased by cormorants into the bay when the deadly freezing happened.

Aril Slotte — the head of pelagic fish department at Norway’s Institute of Marine Research — says it is not uncommon for herring to get very near the shore when chased by predators, sometimes getting trapped by the low tide in areas like this bay. - Gizmodo.

MASS OYSTER DIE-OFF: Piles Upon Piles Of Dead Oysters Found At The Khairan Beach In Kuwait - Reason For The "Catastrophic And Unprecedented Massacre" Remains Unknown?!

November 08, 2013 - KUWAIT - The rate at which oysters are dying at the Khairan beach has doubled since the incident was first reported last Wednesday, an environmental organization warned in a statement yesterday in which they demanded extensive investigation to find the reasons behind this phenomenon. “The Kuwait Dive Team found piles of dead oysters in numbers that vastly exceed those first reported on Wednesday”, team leader and President of the Environment Voluntary Foundation Waleed Al-Fadhel said yesterday. He further indicated that other marine species such as crabs were found dead at the same site.

This comes as a government body rejected concern about a potential environmental phenomenon behind the massive number of dead oysters reported recently at the Khairan beach. “The dead oysters were likely disposed by people who caught them for consumption or to look for pearl”, said Dr Muna Husain, head of the biodiversity protection department at the Environment Public Authority. She further added in a statement Thursday that “dead oysters naturally do not float to the surface, but remain attached to the seafloor or rocks near the beach”.

Newspapers had quoted Al-Fadhel who insisted that what happened was not a result of human intervention. “Dead oysters were opened by 45 degrees whereas a person looking for pearl would open the shells by 180 degrees”, he explained in statements to Al-Watan daily. Al-Fadhel further indicated that three types of shellfish, in addition to squids and algae where recorded in the death site, which he says further supports the argument that what happened was a result of pollution or natural phenomenon.

The Green Line, meanwhile, seems to agree that the dead oysters were washed ashore after being first caught then dropped back in the sea. “According to eyewitnesses and scientific indicators compiled by marine specialists, there is no doubt that the oysters were first removed from the seafloor and then thrown back to the water by perpetrators looking for pearl”, Green Line President Khalid Al-Hajri said in a statement Thursday.

He further indicated that his group “managed to identify people suspected in this crime” through an “environmental inspection method that the Green Line exclusively adopts”. Al-Hajri also took the opportunity to criticize the EPA for “failing to protect the Kuwaiti shores as shown evident by the recent incident”, and also blamed “a voluntary organization which hosts a traditional pearl diving ceremony every year”.

Harvesting pearl oil is illegal in Kuwait’s territorial waters as per a Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources decision made in 2007 to protect the marine species from overfishing. The dead oysters were found near a location known historically as the “best spot to fish for pear oyster in Kuwaiti waters”, according to Al-Fadhel.

“The spot located in front of Al-Khairan at depths ranging between 1 and 4 meters is considered the best pearl diving spot for the past 300 years for producing the most expensive kinds of pearl in the world”, said Al-Fadhel who called for procedures to protect “the national wealth”. Meanwhile, Al-Fadhel revealed that the Kuwait Dive Team recorded red tide in Al-Fentas Thursday, but did not connect between this phenomenon and the oyster deaths.

---

The reason for the catastrophic oyster massacre off Khairan seashore remains unknown. “Something massive happened there,” said Dr Manaf Behbehani, a scientist from Kuwait University’s Faculty of Science, pointing at the pile of dead oysters spread across the seashore in Khairan, south of Kuwait City. Speaking to Kuwait Times yesterday, he summed four possible causes of the kill as biological, chemical, physical or man-made. He explained that the reason for the fish-kill could be a natural biological cause, such as red tide or a virus or poisonous animals. According to him, the chemical cause could be from a desalination plant or chemical leakage and the physical reason could be sand covering the oyster bed. “Something happened there,” he said, elaborating that currently scientists and researchers are not excluding any cause. “For now we only have hypotheses,” he said.

Stressing that this is unprecedented for Kuwait’s seashores, Team Leader and President of the Environment Voluntary Foundation Waleed Al-Fadhel explained that the area where the fish-kill happened is the most popular site for oysters in Kuwait. ‘This is where our grandfathers used to dive and collect oysters,” Fadhel said.

The Kuwait Diving Team discovered that the oyster bed in Khairan area was normal yesterday; the density was also normal. Going northwards, however, they discovered that there were a smaller number of oysters in addition to dead oysters. Last week the lack of visibility did not allow the divers to investigate the reasons for the fish-kill. Yesterday, good visibility allowed them to see one meter under the seawater. But the Kuwait Diving Team said that they could not identify the reason for the fish-kill. The team managed to take a toxin sample which will be provided to the Environment Public Authority (EPA) laboratory for further tests and analysis.

Mahmoud Ashkanani, member of the Kuwait Diving Team, told Kuwait Times yesterday that the site was clean and there was no pollution detected. Asserting that investigations are still ongoing, he said that there is a law for the protection of seashells that individuals, companies and the authorities need to adhere to. “What we are sure is that whatever caused the oyster deaths, they were not pearl hunters,” Ashkanani explained.

What happens now?
According to Behbehani the first stage now is to quantify the size of the fish-kill followed by a thorough investigation of the cause. The latter undertaking would require the combined effort of various authorities and researchers from the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, the Environment Public Authority and Kuwait University. Currently, Behbehani said, who are separately investigating the reasons for the fish-kill. After the lab analyses and findings from KISR, EPA and KU are completed, the researchers will compare the results. Kuwait Times reported yesterday that the rate at which oysters were dying at Khairan beach has doubled since the incident was first reported a week ago. Due to sand shifting, however, the amount of dead oysters was visibly less yesterday.

Catastrophe or not?
Initially a government authority rejected the claims about a potential environmental catastrophe. “The dead oysters were likely disposed by people who caught them for consumption or to look for pearls,” Dr Muna Husain, head of the biodiversity protection department at the EPA was quoted as saying in a statement last week. She said that dead oysters naturally do not float to the surface, but remain attached to the seafloor or rocks near the beach. Moreover, last week the Environment Public Authority announced plans to take legal action against environmentalists who linked the massive oyster deaths to possible pollution.
Fadhel last week indicated that three types of shellfish, in addition to squids and algae, were found at the site, which he says supports the argument that what happened was a result of pollution or a natural phenomenon. Stressing that the large number of dead oysters found makes it impossible to assume that the shellfish were caught and opened by humans. “Dead oysters were open 45 degrees whereas a person looking for pearls would open the shells 180 degrees.”

According to Fadhel, harvesting pearls is illegal in Kuwait’s territorial waters as per a decision of the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources in 2007 to protect the marine species from overfishing. The environmental catastrophe sparked public attention since it was first reported by the local press last Wednesday, as it highlights an environmental concern stemming from various reports about the pollution of Kuwait’s marine environment in recent years, and is surrounded with mystery given the state in which the dead shellfish were found. - Kuwait Times.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Thousands Of Shellfish Wash Ashore Dead, Causing Concern In Milford, Connecticut?!

October 20, 2013 - UNITED STATES - Some residents in Milford are concerned after thousands of mussels recently washed ashore along Point Beach.

Beach locals say they have never seen such a high amount of the shellfish on the shore, which has created a foul stench in the area.

Former marine biology professor Joe Schnierlein identified the shellfish as blue mussels, which he says are the mussels people cook and eat. Schnierlien's biggest concern was answering the question on how the mussels died.

WATCH: Dead mussels concern Milford residents near Point Beach. 

“They do not do well in fresh water, so there could have been a slug of fresh water that hit a huge colony of them,” said Schnierlein. “The fresh water killed them very quickly over a short period of time. That caused them to release and come off the rocks.”

Schnierlein said he doesn’t believe the mussels died because of toxins in the water because other species have not been found in mass quantities on the beach. - Connecticut News.