Psycho_fish'r
03-08-2011, 10:02 AM
http://www.dailybreeze.com/latestnews/ci_17564875
http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site577/2011/0308/20110308_104234_fishphoto08a.jpg
http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site577/2011/0308/20110308_104641_MOREFISH08B.jpg
Millions of dead anchovies are covering the sea bottom and floating on the surface of the water this morning at King Harbor in Redondo Beach, and officials are trying to figure out what happened.
Fire, police and public works officials were on the scene, at this point working to remove the fish as quickly as possible.
"We need to get rid of them," said Sgt. Phil Keenan of the Redondo Beach Police Department. "This is going to create a terrible pollution and public health issue if we don't."
The cause is so far a mystery. It appears the fish may have died due to lack of oxygen, Keenan said.
But residents said they weren't aware of any red tides, an algae bloom that sucks oxygen out of the water, or other issues that could have caused such a massive killing.
"Yesterday everything looked absolutely normal," said Walter Waite, who lives at the harbor. "This morning when I got up, there were millions and millions of them floating everywhere."
He said he was at first struck by the fact the birds weren't feeding; apparently, they already gorged.
The weather is expected to be warm today, adding to the urgency to remove the fish, officials said. The fish, about 6-inches in length, are scattered all over the harbor along Marina Way.
http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site577/2011/0308/20110308_104234_fishphoto08a.jpg
http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site577/2011/0308/20110308_104641_MOREFISH08B.jpg
Millions of dead anchovies are covering the sea bottom and floating on the surface of the water this morning at King Harbor in Redondo Beach, and officials are trying to figure out what happened.
Fire, police and public works officials were on the scene, at this point working to remove the fish as quickly as possible.
"We need to get rid of them," said Sgt. Phil Keenan of the Redondo Beach Police Department. "This is going to create a terrible pollution and public health issue if we don't."
The cause is so far a mystery. It appears the fish may have died due to lack of oxygen, Keenan said.
But residents said they weren't aware of any red tides, an algae bloom that sucks oxygen out of the water, or other issues that could have caused such a massive killing.
"Yesterday everything looked absolutely normal," said Walter Waite, who lives at the harbor. "This morning when I got up, there were millions and millions of them floating everywhere."
He said he was at first struck by the fact the birds weren't feeding; apparently, they already gorged.
The weather is expected to be warm today, adding to the urgency to remove the fish, officials said. The fish, about 6-inches in length, are scattered all over the harbor along Marina Way.