Fairhaven, MA: Dead Fish Wash Ashore In Thousands, Lack Of Oxygen In Warm Waters To Blame (VIDEO)

On Monday, vacationing beach residents awoke to a foul smell when thousands of dead fish washed ashore on a small island on the east side of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, CNN reports.

Marine fisheries explained that the fish were killed due to a lack of oxygen caused by warm waters. All of the fish were Menhaden, which are especially sensitive to such changes, and they may have been dead for days prior to washing up on the beach.

WATCH:

Comments

[maryowens72]

09:53 PM on 08/16/2010

If it was a simple case of no oxygen, why aren't the birds eating them? I smell a cover up.

[Bunny007]

05:34 PM on 08/13/2010

BP----


IS LYING.

[NHGranite]

06:57 PM on 08/12/2010

I grew up along the coast of Mass and NH and did volunteer water quality testing. One thing we checked was dissolved oxygen, it was a problem when the temperature went up and red tides bloomed.

Second, Fairhaven is the site of the highest PCB (Polychlorinated biphenyl) counts ever taken. The EPA swears there is no relation to the cancers in my family, including incredibly rare brain cancer Astrocytoma in my 55 year old brother who made his living when younger as a cod fisherman. I am not so sure they are right.

The water is appreciably cleaner because the banks of the creek we lived by in East Fairhaven is now is covered with oysters.

[Yellowbird]

05:16 PM on 08/12/2010

The reason they died isn't lack of oxygen. It's poison from the BP oil spill.

Why else are they just LAYING THERE, and the seagulls don't want them?

Because they're poison and the animals can smell them...

Either that or the seagulls are all dead too.

[Gus Adaire]

01:39 PM on 08/12/2010

It's Bush's fault

[babyboomerorig]

12:03 PM on 08/12/2010

And Inhoffe says that global warming is the biggest hoax ever perpetrated on the American public.

[StarWarsHippie]

06:38 PM on 08/11/2010

This happened in New Jersey today as well, thousands of dead fish over a few miles of beach.

[Bumpkins]

03:12 PM on 08/11/2010

Menhaden recipies are limited; however there are recipies for a Turkish Menhaden Omelet, fish patties, and fish sticks.....this sounds like a fun fish...we need a Menhaden Day, like National potato day. good possibilities here web site, recipe book, club membership, buttons and more.

[c2tc]

01:29 PM on 08/11/2010

In a related story, Al Gore was seen pumping 75,000 gallons of fossil fuel in his private jet to come up here for a "see, I told you so" photo op.

[Raef53]

01:31 PM on 08/11/2010

Al Gore is at least trying to do something. Too bad so many people are upset at his nobel efforts. What does that say about them?

[c2tc]

01:36 PM on 08/11/2010

Look, I'm not a global warming denier... I think the earth is warming. However, I have many questions about why/how it is actually warming.
Al Gore is at least trying to do something.....you're absolutely right.....he's trying to find a meaning in his life and line his pockets through fear mongering.

[egaeus]

01:45 PM on 08/11/2010

And how many fossil fuels did you consume? You computer is made from them, as are your carpets and clothing and food containers, and your car runs on them. Gore doesn't fly his plane every day, but I'll bet you drive your car nearly every day.

[The last sane American]

01:52 PM on 08/11/2010

Are you out of your mind? What makes you think the Vice-president doesn't consume just as the rest of us do.

Buying carbon offsets from his own company. way to go!

[kareemachan]

01:06 PM on 08/11/2010

Maybe we should them to Inhofe....

[Raef53]

01:32 PM on 08/11/2010

Inhofe would say they "had it coming."

[Dave Harrison]

01:02 PM on 08/11/2010

I live on Cape Cod and several beaches have been closed because of great white sharks are close to shore and it has been a great tuna season here. Both predators, along with a host of others that feed on these fish driving them to the shore. And there is no sign of oil on any of the beaches here so the BP oil gusher has nothing to do with it. Just nature running it's course.

[Bumpkins]

01:52 PM on 08/11/2010

Wish it was nature......there is a link on this page... go up, look 6 articles on fish kills........I can go back 100 years....my grandparent and others talked, and I was there for 60.....There was not one fish kill reported till the 60's....nature stop.....The tourist trade will dry up like in the gulf,,,,,come on down, nothing to worry about,,,nature.

[The last sane American]

02:55 PM on 08/11/2010

You would have a purple conniption, if you saw the number of fish- and other- kills in the fossil record. They are called thanatocenoses.

Your family must have been dead (ha ha ha ) lucky!

[The last sane American]

01:53 PM on 08/11/2010

Oh please do not burst their bubble!

[Bumpkins]

01:56 PM on 08/11/2010

ooooooppppppssssss

[Grandma Koolfinger]

12:58 PM on 08/11/2010

Clearly the doing of George Bush, BP and global warming. 'Nuff said.

[Bumpkins]

01:55 PM on 08/11/2010

Do not know if you were around in the 50's...if you were do you remember fish kills?

[cbrown1389]

09:50 PM on 08/11/2010

generations to come will witness fish kills, for at least how long the fish survive

[apefool]

12:55 PM on 08/11/2010

locals "never seen this here" fishy

[Raef53]

01:33 PM on 08/11/2010

i have a feeling there will be more of it.....

[watchful123]

12:54 PM on 08/11/2010

Where's the BP lawsuit?

[peowlemeow]

12:51 PM on 08/11/2010

How hard is it to pump oxygen into water ? Fish tanks have to have air pumps.We need them for the oceans too.

[ekg]

01:04 PM on 08/11/2010

You can't be serious.

[peowlemeow]

06:18 PM on 08/11/2010

I'm perfectly serious.Bouys could have tidal generators or simple impellers to push air into the oceans.Oil rigs could have generators collecting the heat they generate during burn offs to pump even more air into the water.They could cool the air down too.

[Bumpkins]

01:59 PM on 08/11/2010

This is done in some lakes and rivers to help clean them up.....easy and cheap,,,,fish farms have been doing it for years.