MASS MAMMAL DIE-OFF: "We Don't Know What's Causing The Upswing" - Mystery Surrounds Rise In Dolphin Deaths Along United States East Coast?!

August 05, 2013 - UNITED STATES - Officials are trying to determine the cause of a sharp increase in dolphin deaths in Virginia and other East Coast states.

Aug. 1, 2013: From right, Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Team members Krystal Rodrique of
Virginia Beach, Va. and intern Liz Schell of Durango, Co. load a deceased male dolphin onto a metal
stretcher on Ocean View Beach in Norfolk, Va. (AP)

Five beached dolphins were found in Virginia alone on Thursday. In July, nearly four dozen dead dolphins were found, mostly in Norfolk and along the southern part of the Chesapeake Bay. That's up from the typical six or seven usually picked up in July by the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Team.

"We've had a steady number coming in at the beginning of the summer, and starting last week, the numbers spiked," Susan Barco, research coordinator for the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, told The Virginian-Pilot (http://bit.ly/11x9uEv). "We're just trying to keep our head above water."

Delaware and Maryland also have seen an uptick in dolphin deaths. According to The Press of Atlantic City, 10 dead dolphins were picked up in Delaware between June and early July, when in a typical year only five or six are recorded. In Maryland, authorities said a spike had been noticed but exact numbers of deaths were not known.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has sent inquiries to stranding centers along the East Coast to determine whether spikes have been seen elsewhere.

In New Jersey, initial necropsy results have pointed to pneumonia, but Maggie Mooney-Seus, spokeswoman for NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, was not ready to connect Virginia's die-off to what may be affecting dolphins in other states.

"We don't know at this point what has caused the upswing," she said. "Virginia is higher than New Jersey, but we don't know anything particular because we're still collecting data."

Virginia's stranding team says the elevated numbers are reminiscent off the mass deaths that occurred in 1987, when more than 750 carcasses washed ashore from New Jersey to Florida. A few years later, morbillivirus -- similar to measles -- was determined to be the culprit, as dolphins exhibited symptoms associated with measles and pneumonia.

"It's eerily familiar," Barco said of the recent strandings. "That is one virus we're looking for now."

In Virginia this year, the response team has collected the remains of 87 dolphins. The team typically picks up around 60 dolphins in an entire year.

On Thursday, Krystle Rodrique, a volunteer with the stranding team, and Liz Schell, an intern, worked to dig up the tail of a dead dolphin as waves crashed in, hampering their efforts. The team documents where the animals were found and takes photos.

Rodrique cradled the corpse, setting it down lightly on a wooden deck. Despite her gloves, the smell -- a mix of pet store and rotting fish -- will remain on her hands.

"You get used to the smell, but I never can really get it off my hands," she said. "I try to scrub them over and over again."

The sooner workers find the dolphins, the better chance they have of figuring out what is causing the deaths.

Barco said teams haven't seen any physical trauma that would indicate entanglements or sonar damage, as midfrequency naval sonar has been linked in the past to whale and dolphin deaths. Ted Brown, a spokesman for the Navy's Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, said "there has been no change or increase in sonar use that could be related" to the recent surge.

Barco said her team of 60 volunteers, eight staff members and six interns are logging extra hours and have postponed its annual dolphin count in order to keep up with the deaths. The program is funded by grants, donations and contracts, and she says it's short on time and money.

"I just put in for overtime that we can't afford to pay. We don't have a lab like some places do, so we're working out of a tent," Barco said. "This event is going to stretch us." - FOX News.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Latest Reports Of Mysterious Fish Kills Across America - 5 More Dead Dolphins Wash Up In Virginia, Bringing The Total This Year To An Alarming 87; Thousands Of Dead Fish, Stingrays, Crabs And Shrimp Wash Ashore On Mississippi Beaches; 21 Dolphins Wash Ashore On New Jersey Beaches!

August 02, 2013 - UNITED STATES - Here are several of the latest incidents of mass fish die-offs across the United States:

Ocean View, Virginia Sees Third Dead Dolphin.

Dead dolphin in Ocean View on July 31, 2013. Photo by WAVY/Walter Hildebrand.

Another deceased dolphin was found in the Ocean View area, making it the third in a matter of days.  The bottlenose dolphin was found near Beaumont Avenue and appears to be in a decomposed state.  This is the third dead dolphin to wash up on an Ocean View beach in about a week and the fourth in the last three weeks.  Earlier this month, 10 On Your Side asked the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center if there could be a connection between the dolphin deaths, and they said no. 

Now, the aquarium's biologists are a little more concerned.  "We are a little bit concerned about it," said Mark Swingle with the Virginia Aquarium. "It's definitely at a much higher level than we're used to seeing at this time of year."  Swingle said there are a number of reasons that dolphins die -- disease, predation, or just being at the mercy of fishermen's nets or boats. And even though is is prime dolphin season, the number of bottlenose dolphin deaths along the Chesapeake Bay is unusually high for this time of year.  "We have, as of this morning, about 82 dolphin strandings for the year, and typically we average in a whole year about 64 dolphin strandings. So, it's definitely elevated," Swingle said.  


WATCH: Ocean View sees third dead dolphin.

An aquarium press release said 44 of the 82 dolphin strandings this year happened in July -- the average for July is seven. The aquarium's Stranding Response Team is working with the NOAA Fisheries to investigate the causes of death, but it will take time.  "We know how to investigate dolphin strandings, we know how to look into whether or not  the animal is diseased or sick," Swingle said. "And things like that, the challenge is, it does take a little bit of time for those kind of tests to be run."  Most of the recent dolphin strandings are exclusively male, according to the aquarium release.  The aquarium is receiving help from other members of the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and so some of the dolphins from Hampton Roads will be transported to North Carolina for examination.  If you see a stranded animal on the beach, do not touch it. Instead, call the stranding hotline anytime of day or night: (757) 385-7575. - WAVY.

5 More Dead Dolphins Wash Up In Virginia, Bringing The Total This Year To 87.

Five more dolphins have washed up dead on beaches in Virginia Thursday.  The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center confirms to NewsChannel 3 that one dolphin was found in the Ocean View section of Norfolk and four others were found in counties including Mathews and Gloucester.  The 5 additional dolphin deaths bring the total number of stranded dolphins recovered by the Virginia Aquarium’s Stranding Response Team to 87 for the year.  In July, 44 dolphins were recovered by the team, compared to 7 they typically see in that month.


WATCH: 5 more dead dolphins wash up in Virginia.

Read more about the Virginia strandings here.

Virginia isn’t the only state dealing with the increase in dolphin strandings. New Jersey is also reporting a higher than usual number of dead dolphins washing up on shore.  Maggie Mooney-Seus, a spokeswoman for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, tells NewsChannel 3 that the agency has e-mailed an alert to stranding teams along the East Coast asking them to monitor and report dolphin deaths.  The agency is hoping to collect information to see if there are any trends.  NewsChannel 3 also spoke with the Karen Clark, program coordinator for the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, who reports that the number of dolphin strandings in the Outer Banks have not increased and remain typical compared to previous years.

The Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Team stresses that if you find a dolphin on the beach, don’t touch it, but immediately call the Stranding Response Team. Their hotline is (757)385-7575 and is staffed 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. To learn more about how to report a stranding, click here. - WTKR.

Thousands Of Dead Fish, Stingrays, Crabs And Shrimp Wash Ashore On Mississippi Beaches.

This year's "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico is more than twice the size of last year's.  CBS News

On the pristine beaches of Mississippi, thousands of dead fish, stingrays, crabs and shrimp have washed ashore this month. They died from a lack of oxygen in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.   It's called the "dead zone," and it appears every summer. This year's dead zone, though, is larger than average and more than twice the size of last year's.  "The alarming news is that it continues to be large year after year after year," says marine biologist Nancy Rabalais has measured the dead zone since 1985.  The primary cause of the dead zone is nitrogen-based fertilizers in Midwest fields that are washed down the Mississippi River by spring rains and in to the Gulf. There they create blooms of algae that rob the water of oxygen.

Scientists believe last year's drought has made the dead zone worse, as fertilizer that was never absorbed by crops was swept into the Gulf.  In Dulac, La., David Chauvin worries about what that could do to his shrimp business.  "Shrimp are one of the most fragile creatures on the face of the earth," he says. "You take a shrimp and put them into a bucket with no oxygen whatsoever, they'll die within seconds. ... That could mimic a dead zone."  It's not just his business that's at risk. Seafood in this part of the Gulf is a $2 billion a year industry.  

Five years ago, the states in the Mississippi River basin agreed to a plan for reducing the amount of nitrogen flowing into the Gulf, but it had little effect. Now environmental groups are suing the federal government, calling for standards that are enforced.  Chauvin says that right now, it doesn't sound like the government is "doing anything."  The dead zone usually lasts until late summer or early fall, when powerful storms churn the Gulf and put the oxygen back in the water, leaving people here wondering what's worse -- a dead zone or a hurricane. - WTSP.

21 Dolphins Wash Ashore On New Jersey Beaches.

Two pods of dolphins swam by a group of lifeguards during a morning competition off the beach here Wednesday.  It was the serene summer scene any lifeguard appreciates, but New Jersey guards have had many grimmer encounters with dolphins in recent weeks.  Since a dead dolphin was found in the Elberon section of Long Branch on July 9, 21 dead dolphins have washed onto beaches from Monmouth County to Cape May County, said Bob Schoelkopf, founding director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, which has responded to each.

What’s causing the deaths isn’t yet clear. The number of dolphins brought in for testing — an average of two per day — has delayed the center from getting closer to an answer, Schoelkopf said.  “This is unusual,” he said. “It’s a high number.”  Officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service said last week that a typical year could see more than 1,000 strandings of dolphins and other marine animals such as seals and whales from Maine to Virginia.  

This time of year often leads to dolphin strandings because they are migrating and between more boats in the water and a higher population, human interaction or just a sudden sickness could bring a dolphin to shore, said Maggie Mooney-Seus, NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s communications specialist.  Fisheries have started collecting information, which includes asking its other regional stranding network members to report any strandings they have so NOAA can track any trends, Mooney-Seus said.

Schoelkopf said all but one of the beached animals have been bottlenose dolphins. A common dolphin was brought in Tuesday after washing onto the beach in Harvey Cedars. They range from 125 to 500 pounds, he said.  The stranding center picks up the animals, briefly studies them at their headquarters in Brigantine, and then takes them to the New Bolton Center in Chester County, Pa. There, they undergo a necropsy — an autopsy for animals.

“We keep taking them (animals) every day. The lab is pushing as hard as they can,” he said.  While the locations of the dead dolphins has varied, Schoelkopf said his staff has found nine of the dolphins along the 18-mile stretch of Long Beach Island. Long Beach Township has had to report three dead dolphins, Beach Patrol Supervisor Don Myers said.  The three dolphins that washed on his beaches July 19, 24 and 30 came later in the day when few people were on the beach, Myers said. His staff follows protocol by keeping people away and notifying the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, he said.  His staff examined one of the dolphins, which had various cuts, scrapes and punctures. 

But he said he isn’t certain what has been impacting the dolphins.  “I tell my staff they’re mammals like we are. They have respiratory infections or die of natural causes like anything,” Myers said.  The dolphins haven’t forced beach closures and the health department cleared the beach of health issues, Myers said. His beach hasn’t had problems with sharks, either, he said.  Schoelkopf said some of the dolphins that they found had been badly decomposed because of sharks eating the carcasses.  He is urging anyone who sees a dolphin to keep themselves, their pets and children away from it and to report it immediately to the center or local authorities, such as police or lifeguards. - Daily Record.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: DISASTER PRECURSORS

January 18, 2012 - UNITED STATES - Tens of thousands of dead fish washed ashore on a South Carolina beach on Tuesday, for at least the second time in a week. Approximately 30,000 to 40,000 menhaden fish washed ashore along a mile-and-a-half-long stretch of beach from Georgetown County, S.C., to Pawleys Island, said Pawleys Island Police Chief Michael Fanning, according to NBC News. It seemed likely that thousands more of the 6- to 8-inch-long fish would wash ashore later. 

Courtesy viewer Lisa Mahan.

This is the second time in one week such an incident has occurred in the area, notes NBC News. Late last week, hundreds of thousands of the small, oily fish washed up near Masonboro Island, N.C. "One time I was here I saw a bunch of jellyfish," South Carolina resident Bill Vogel told NBC local affiliate WMBF Newsof the dead fish. "They were all on the shore but nothing like this, it's really weird."  The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tried to explain the fish die-off on Wednesday. "It's an occurrence called hypoxia," Sergeant Steve Pop told WMBF. "That is dissolved oxygen levels in the water that drop to a level that is not sustainable for the fish... 

We've got some deep holes off of north inlet that holds these fish. This time of year the fish congregate in these holes which is depleting the oxygen source." Mel Bell, Director of the Office of Fisheries Management for S.C. DNR, elaborated on the theory: “On Friday we had a new moon [which caused] real high high tides and real low low tides,” he told The Sun News. “Probably what happened was a school [of menhaden] got in an area of water on a high tide, in a hole or depression, and at low tide they were trapped and depleted the oxygen in the water. Then, all the fish would suffocate." On Thursday, however, the DNR ruled out low dissolved oxygen, algal bloom or cold temperatures as the culprit for the fish death, according to The Sun. 
Mass animal deaths made headlines back in 2011 when thousands of animals were found dead in countries around the world. The mass deaths continued into 2012. Hundreds of Humboldt squid beached themselves near Santa Cruz, Calif., in December. In September, dead seagulls and fish washed ashore on Lake Eerie.- Huffington Post.

WATCH: Mass fish die-off in South Carolina.

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December 16, 2012 - CHINA - "Seeing so many fish has no overnight, I do not know what to do. "Man achish in East Lake Village, lingshan town, pottery village in meilan district of Haikou has contracted several pond fish, December 10 shortly after 7 o'clock in the morning, he wakes to see fish ponds and found that, overnight, himself strenuously 8,200 grouper are all dead.

Tens Of Thousands Of Fish Found Dead In Haikou Lake.

According to reports, the achish trusted friends to lend more than 1 million Yuan last year, contracted for pond fish. This fish for over a year, has and traders 11th to buy an appointment. The night before the incident, he patrols the pond edge to home until 11 o'clock at night, when fish are good. Did not expect overnight, the fish all died, everything became a bubble in water, "a conservative estimate the loss more than 700,000 yuan. "Achish said sadly, this fish maximum 3 kg of 92, on average every two and a half pounds of fish, a total of 8,200 fish, more than 20,000 pounds, all gone. Looked at has been cleared of dead fish, achish heartache, "not all the fish stomach, it was too hard. "It is reported that after the incident, achish alert the local police station. It is understood that the incident occurred 20 days ago, achish contracted by another more than 30,000 pieces of fish in a pond in deaths overnight. Achish said, generally ten days and a half months, fish insect, need some medicine to pest control. After more than 30,000 pieces of fish for the first time, achish thought it was the fish master take the wrong drug, also called a master. Master fish, raise fish in a dozen years and have never come across such a situation, even if it is more than three times the amount of fish you can't all die. Because the first dead fish are smaller, so dead over more than 30,000 fish, achish had lost at least 350,000 yuan. According to preliminary estimates, the two add up to achish had lost more than 1 million Yuan. - People China [Translated].

Large Fish Kill Found In A River In Shahe City.

According to eyewitness accounts, the fish's small finger-like weight, there are three or four pounds. Estimation of Shahe office cleaning day sailor, salvaging of dead fish has nearly three days pounds. Wuyi University see Shahe journalists 10th day, the River is dark green, there are still sporadic dead fish scattered on the River, shore water floats, a layer of oil. Approached the River, a fish stench blowing, two cleaning vessels are salvaging of dead fish. Reporters along the rivers in Jiangmen direction Wuyi University section going, found no sewage outfall discharges across the Taiwan Strait, in which large outfall outfall Wuyi University canteens have also used iron CAP to seal up. For all of a sudden there were so many fish were killed, public speculation that someone may steal a sewage. This reporter learned that, after the dead fish incident, Jiangmen City Environmental Protection Department immediately started emergency plan, organized law enforcement and environmental monitoring environmental monitoring personnel to the scene for investigation and water quality monitoring. The site survey, found Shahe road section between bridge and white gas stations are dead fish behavior occurs to varying degrees. 

In this regard, the Organization immediately environmental protection departments on the one hand to troubleshoot the day sand river coastal outfalls, Shahe River in the urban areas has been basically pollution-cutting, only a limited number of outfalls vertical sand River through days of troubleshooting, found no illegal sewage of industrial enterprises. On the, in died fish phenomenon more clear of river set multiple section for water monitoring, December 7 of monitoring results indicates that, river water except dissolved oxygen indicators partial low outside, other pollutants indicators and always compared to and no exception; near two day of monitoring results indicates that, as temperatures of rebounded, river water dissolved oxygen indicators has gradually recovery to normal level, River sense views also has been comparison clear. At the same time, marine fisheries sector in Jiangmen city quickly investigate after receiving the report, organized the resources and Environment Management Division, fisheries technician, fishery law enforcement and inspection personnel to conduct on-site investigations. According to the Bureau's law enforcement personnel on-site observations, dead fish species dominated by DACE, and most of the smaller. According to EPA and Marine Fisheries Council two large sector investigation results displayed, "by extraction water, and died fish samples for test detection, found except river water dissolved oxygen partial low outside, remaining is not found detection indicators has exception situation, preliminary judgment is due to by continued low temperature rainy weather (more than 10 days) effect, while days Shahe and is dry season, water in the dissolved oxygen partial low, led to as DACE, and tilapia, does not cold varieties of fish hypoxia death. ” - Information Times [Translated].

Over 350,000 Pounds Of Fish Died In Long Lake.

Area of dead fish in the Lake area, causing huge economic losses to local fishermen. According to the local Government's latest figures show that the fish killed more than 350,000 pounds, including deaths peak in October 3, 7th night of dead fish began to gradually reduce. It is understood that the dead fish later, local government and related departments have taken emergency measures management, organizing manpower to emergency disinfection of fishing and bury the dead fish. Xiaolu is a journalist in the area ran into a bit of downstream fishermen. He is new to cage, cage culture of less than two years. Xiaolu describes his cage in the fen village section of the hole in the lower area, built dams built power stations here. The Wengjiang River and other tributaries converge here, formed a huge Lake. Therefore, this time he farmed fish were not spared, more losses than upstream. "Throughout the vast expanse of the Lake and a stinker, is simply horrible. "Little land so describes the horrors of dead fish peak at that time. "No dead fish, more or less, I probably nearly 6,000 pounds of fish in cages. My losses are relatively small, losses more serious cases than me! Hey, just my luck, it lost two years...... "battered small land face down, he stood in the bow looking confused water, his eyes are filled with confusion. "Now I don't know what should I do in the future, this fish can continue to do? I now have no confidence. But the fish we can do? "Very predicament inside Xiaolu told Xinhua that his father is a fisherman, culture before earning a bit of money, so they expand cage culture of investment in the area, he was responsible for management. A sudden hit Xiaolu negate efforts of father and son, but also completely destroy their confidence. 

It is understood that, in recent years, the rapid development of cage culture in the long Lake area, cage size and significant increase in the number and capacity in cages in the reservoir area is almost at saturation. According to the latest statistics from the local government data show, current cage culture in reservoirs there is approximately 180 households, more than 6,000 cage, deposit box fish probably around 4.5 million pounds. Xiaolu same part and many farmers, are shouted to the cage to make money and have acceded to or expansion of investment. Cage culture of sprawl and blindness makes area significantly increased risk. Yingde city animal husbandry and aquatic products Bureau told Xinhua, cage was farmers in the reservoir area of spontaneous, is difficult to control and master in number, only moderate to boot. However, the large area of abnormal fish mortality events, fishermen's losses are not just the fish in the cage, but also for many years has been adhere to breed confidence. - Shuichan [Translated].

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January 05, 2013 - UNITED STATES - An Oklahoma state park is dealing with a stinky mystery.  Dead fish have been showing up by the hundreds along the shore of the lake at Quartz Mountain State Park. 

Quartz Mountain fish dying – Alicia. KFOR.

Quartz Mountain fish dying – Alicia. KFOR.

Quartz Mountain fish dying – Alicia. KFOR.

Park officials said they’re not sure why or how the fish died but believe it is from natural causes, not something man-made.

The State Wildlife Department is planning to visit the park to conduct tests to see what is behind the die-off.

The lake remains open although it’s not exactly a good spot right now for a stroll beside the water. - KFOR.

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In what authorities believe is one of the worst fish-kills in recent times, a lot of Curiass is being washed up on the Guyanese and Surinamese foreshores, apparently due to murky Atlantic Ocean waters and the discharge of freshwater into the sea.

The Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture says mostly dead Cuirass have been sighted since January 9 and the situation peaked on January 29 when a "significant amount of dead fish was observed on the beaches in the area. Consultations with Surinamese Fisheries Department officials have revealed that similar occurrences of dead fish have been observed in the vicinity of Nickerie and Coronie during the same period, the ministry here stated. "An on-the-spot observation conducted by the Regional Fisheries Officer revealed that the gills were heavily coated with sling mud and slime. This condition may have resulted in oxygen deprivation to the fish resulting in death," Guyana's Fisheries Department added.

While the observance of dead fish is said to be an annual occurrence by local fisherfolk in both countries, Guyana's Fisheries Department believes that this year's was "noticeably worse" and may have resulted from one of or a combination of factors. They include turbidity of the water in the area – caused by excessive rainfall in the general region resulting in excessive cloudiness of the water due to suspended particles from the rivers which flow into the ocean and reduced dissolved oxygen levels. The other major factor could have been a high fresh water discharge – the high discharge of fresh water from the rivers may have disrupted the salinity content of the water in the area which could adversely affect fish in the area.

The University of Guyana's Biodiversity Centre is expected to conduct tests on samples collected on January 22 to determine the cause of death of the fish. Results will be available several weeks later. The Fisheries Department said it was also conducting continuous water quality tests to determine the effects of the rainfall on the water quality in the area. According to officials, the situation has improved greatly since Sunday January 22 and Wednesday, with far less dead fish observed on beaches along the Upper Corentyne Coast. "The situation is being continually monitored by staff of the Fisheries Department," the Agriculture Ministry department said. - The Daily Herald.

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The Ohio Division of Wildlife got a call on Sunday from a fisherman who told the agency they should probably come see the flood of fish carcasses in the Rocky River.

When they arrived, they discovered a waterway filled with dead aqua life. The fish kill is still under investigation. Today, the ODW announced the final death toll: 28,613 fish, along with other species. But the mere process of counting the dead was merely a first step. The interesting part, in terms of going after whoever was responsible for whatever caused the mass deaths (that's about as specific as we can get right now), comes next. 

Via the News-Herald:

“The investigators aren’t going back to the stream today because they believe they have all the data that they need,” said Jamey Graham, spokeswoman for the Wildlife Division’s District Three (Northeast Ohio) office in Akron. “They are now sorting the fish according to species and we should that information available soon.”

The reason for the separation of the fish by species is so that the Wildlife Division can determine how much to charge in fines and restitution if and when the culprit is identified. The state has assigned a dollar figure for each fish species.

- Yahoo.

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