Dead Fish Mystery: More Than 1K Wash Ashore In NJ

Environmental advocates are reporting thousands of dead fish washing up on the coasts of several New Jersey bodies of water.

As spring rolls in, reports of dead fish are popping up from North to South Jersey, specifically at freshwater bodies of water.

According to Jim Wright, a board member of the Fyke Nature Association, roughly 1.2 tons of dead fish were removed from Lake Appert in Allendale on March 15.

Volunteers of the Celery Farm Nature Preserve and the Fyke Nature Association filled around 80 30-pound contractor bags with dead carp, sunnies, bluegills, catfish, and more, Wright added.

“The die-off was caused by a lack of dissolved oxygen in the water as a result of the lake being covered with ice, then snow, for many weeks. Compounding the disaster were the sudden, drastic spikes between warm and cold temperatures during the previous seven days,” Wright wrote in his blog. “Two other winter fish die-offs have happened in the past quarter-century in the Celery Farm, but nowhere near the magnitude of this one.”

Experts say that this phenomenon, dubbed a “winterkill,” happens when a body of water is frozen for an extended period of time, and oxygen in the water is limited. When the ice melts, a vast number of oxygen-deprived animals float to the surface.

The rapid change of temperatures experienced this month also plays a factor in winterkills. Officials say warming temperatures can contribute to algal blooms that produce harmful bacteria, which kill the organisms in the water.

Read More: North Jersey Lake’s Contamination Prompts Warning From Officials

Another fish die-off was recently reported in Newton Creek in Camden County, which was chalked up to rapidly changing “temperatures” and “bacteria,” according to the NJ PEN Newsletter.

Fish kills are much more common in shallow bodies of water, with the underwater vegetation and nutrients dying off quickly, therefore depleting oxygen quickly, according to the NJ Fish and Wildlife Division.

More: Residents Horrified To See 1,000 Fish Die In Lake Nelson In Piscataway

Wright says it’s important to spot and clean up these die-offs as soon as possible before they begin to rot in the lake, affecting water quality and “causing a horrendous stink.”

Anyone who observes what they believe to be a massive fish die-off can report it to the Department of Environmental Protection through the 24/7 hotline at 877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337).

NJ Fish and Wildlife says environmental observations during a fish kill are “the most important factor in determining the cause.” Residents can record their observations of a fish kill here and send them to NJFWFish@dep.nj.gov.

More: Dead Fish Seen At Pond In Livingston, Heat Wave Partly To Blame