Numerous Reports Of Dead Fish On New London Shoreline

NEW LONDON, CT — The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is reporting numerous sightings of dead fish along the Connecticut shoreline from Darien to New London.

They said these incidents, known as fish kills, involve a species of fish called Atlantic Menhaden, also known as "bunker."

"Menhaden are the most abundant marine fish species on the east coast, and fish kills involving them are not uncommon," the DEEP said in a statement. "Menhaden fish kills can occur for a variety of reasons, most often due to natural or environmental factors such as school-induced hypoxia (lack of oxygen) or cold water temperature."

Why exactly the fish kills have occurred recently is clear.

"While DEEP continues to investigate these events," the statement reads, "staff believe the cause of the fish kills observed over the past month have been due to more Menhaden overwintering in the Sound this year, possibly due to a missed migration cue, leading them to succumb to the cold water temperatures and a lack of nourishment."