http://strangesounds.org/2016/03/hundred-thousands-dead-sea-slugs-w...

Hundred thousands of dead sea slugs wash up on beaches in Kamala, Thailand

http://nextrend.xyz/tens-of-thousands-of-dead-fish-found-on-beach-n...

Tens Of Thousands Of Dead Fish Found On Beach Near Jakarta

http://fox17online.com/2016/03/15/scores-of-dead-crows-found-along-...

Hundreds of dead crows found along Calhoun Co. railroad tracks

SPRINGFIELD, Mich.

The DNR is investigating hundreds of dead birds that were found by some railroad tracks near Battle Creek.

It’s the second such discovery over the past few months.

They were discovered near Helmer and Lafayette roads in the city of Springfield.

Tim Hill took video of the birds on Sunday as he walked along the tracks. “There must be 200 of them, he said. Dead. Everywhere.”

An avid hunter, Hill says he suspected something was wrong and called the DNR.

Wildlife biologist Sara Thompson says the amount of dead crows is alarming. “Yes, absolutely, especially in this way. Crows hang out around railroad tracks, but the fact that these birds didn't get away is puzzling."

Thompson says when she looked at the location of the dead crows, she realized it was just a few hundred yards away from that of a similar incident in February. That’s when dozens of dead birds were found near the same railroad tracks. "So, we went picked them up and sent them to the lab. A necropsy was done and showed they died from trauma."

The autopsy showed that they likely died from being hit by the train. Thompson says this time there are more birds, and they want to know if something else is to blame.

"The real question is why they weren’t able to get away from the train. This time, we're going to turn their livers in for testing to determine if maybe there's some pesticide or chemical that made the birds compromised."

The results could take a few weeks to get back. In the meantime, the DNR asks residents to keep their eyes open for anything unusual.

"We just don't know. We have to put this whole story together and collecting the birds and doing a test to see what was in their system prior to their death is the first step."

The samples will be sent to the chemical testing lab at Michigan State University.

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/local/michigan-dnr-investigating-hundred...

(3/12/16)

Seabird die-off takes twist with carcasses in Alaska lake (3/17/16)

...Abnormal numbers of dead common murres, all apparently starved, began washing ashore on Alaska beaches in March 2015. After late-December storms, 8,000 were found at the Prince William Sound community of Whittier. The confirmed carcass count is now up to 36,000, but most don't wash ashore. Also, Alaska has more coastline than the rest of the United States put together and relatively few beaches have been surveyed.

Common murres catch finger-length fish to feed their young in summer and can forage on krill. Less is known about what they eat in winter. Because of a high metabolism rate, they can use up fat reserves and drop to a critical threshold for starvation in three days of not eating.

Researchers trying to find out the cause of the deaths would not have thought to look on a freshwater lake but were alerted to the Iliamna carcasses by Randy Alvarez, a member of the Lake and Peninsula borough assembly.

A commercial fisherman, Alvarez has lived in Igiugig on the west end of 77-mile long Lake Iliamna since 1983.

He had seen a few dead murres on the beach, but on a mid-February flight with the borough mayor and manager, they saw thousands.

"We came up with a guess of 6,000 to 8000 birds in about 12 miles," Alvarez said.

Nobody he knows remembers common murres at the lake. Alvarez speculates the birds could not find food in the Pacific and flew to the lake to eat salmon smolt. Lake Iliamna has not frozen the last two winters, which itself is strange.

His friends and relatives in Naknek, a Bristol Bay port, in normal winters catch smelt, another small, silvery fish.

"This was the worst anybody had ever seen it for smelt," he said, and he wonders if it's connected to the North Pacific's third-straight year of above-normal temperatures. If seabirds can't find enough to eat, he worries that salmon won't either.

"I think something is not right," he said.

Scientists in multiple federal agencies are trying to determine if the murre deaths are connected to lack of food, parasites, disease, weather or something else, but they keep being pitched curves, like birds showing up in surprising places.

"This is the thing about this die-off," Piatt said. "We don't even know what we don't know."

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/34979ea1642a40f7a03e6c431779596f/sea...

https://www.rt.com/usa/336493-bald-eagles-die-hatch/

Circle of life: 4 more bald eagles found dead in Delaware, 2 hatch in nation’s capital

Workers with the Tri-State Bird Rescue, a private nonprofit based in the area, found one dead eagle on the road near Dagsboro in Delaware’s Sussex County on Sunday. Three more birds were found in a nearby field and could not be revived. A group of eight eagles was found alive in the area, but three flew away before they could be taken in for examination. Of the remaining five, two are receiving medical care at Tri-State.

Read more

Bad omen: 13 dead bald eagles found at Maryland farm

The new deaths occurred in the Piney Neck area of Sussex County about 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Federalsburg, where 13 bald eagles were found dead last month.

“We don’t know how many eagles may have been affected, so we are asking the public to notify us immediately should they see birds that appear sick,” Sergeant John McDerby of Delaware’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police said in a statement.  “We’re also asking people not to attempt to capture or handle any eagles they encounter on the ground. These eagles will already be distressed so handling them could cause additional injuries to the eagle and possibly to anyone trying to help them.”

Since bald eagles are protected under federal law, the US Fish and Wildlife Service joined the Delaware investigation on Monday.

Federal investigators have determined that the bald eagles found near Federalsburg earlier had not died due to natural causes, but have not released any details as to what might have killed them. A reward of up to $25,000 has been offered for any information that leads to solving that case.

While eagles on the Delmarva Peninsula are dying, however, there is life just a few miles west in the nation’s capital. Over the weekend, two bald eagle chicks hatched to a couple named “Mr. President” and “The First Lady” at the National Arboretum in Washington, DC. The first steps of DC2 and DC3, as the baby eagles have been provisionally named, can be seen live on web cameras operated by the American Eagle Foundation.

Once considered on the brink of extinction, bald eagles have recovered well enough to be removed from the endangered species list, although they are still protected by laws dating back to 1918.

Established as the national bird of the United States in 1782, the bald eagle adorns most official seals of the US government, clutching an olive branch and 13 arrows symbolizing the 13 original states of the union.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3503463/Mystery-surrounds-t...

Fish Kill: Mystery surrounds more than 17,000 fish, turtles and other rare sea life found washed up dead on beaches around Broome

• Mystery surrounds thousands of fish found dead in Western Australia
• More than 37 different species of fish washed up on beaches near Broome
• Dead fish may be linked to a culmination of environmental factors
• High temperatures and strong winds may have contributed to the dead fish 

An estimated 17,500 fish have died in what is believed to be a naturally occurring fish kill in the Kimberly region, in Western Australia’s far north.

The discovery of the dead fish may be linked to a culmination of environmental factors.

More than 37 different species of fish began washing up dead on beaches near Broome last Monday. 

An estimated 17,500 fish have died (pictured) in what is believed to be a naturally occurring fish kill in the Kimberly region, in Western Australia’s far north

Fish, turtles (pictured) and other rare sea life have been found washed up dead on beaches around Broome

The discovery of the dead fish (pictured) has been linked to a culmination of environmental factors

Higher than normal water temperatures coupled with warm weather and sustained onshore winds have been floated by the department as contributing factors.

38 Thousand Tons of Dead Salmon in Chile (Mar 23)

Disposal efforts have been ongoing in Chile after millions of farmed salmon died in the region of Los Lagos.

More than 24 million salmon, equivalent to 38,300 tons, have been killed.

The Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Raul Súnico and the National Director of Sernapesca, José Miguel Burgos, said that 83.8 per cent of the total biomass removed has already been extracted, equivalent to more than 32 thousand tons of salmon.

Mr Burgos explained that most of the dead fish were sent for the preparation of fishmeal, while another much smaller percentage was sent to landfill.

"And the third option is the final alternative, and as outlined in international law, applies only in an emergency situation and when no other options are available, so two thousand tons have been allocated at sea in an underwater pit more than three thousand meters deep, more than 130 kilometres from the coast."

The authority added that dumping at sea is monitored with personnel aboard the ships responsible for the task, and additional monitoring is done through the satellite positioning of each ship.

Meanwhile, the Undersecretary of Fisheries announced that in the coming days the department will start a second stage of control with the use of a submarine for monitoring the status of the seabed and the water column below the affected areas.

"We are facing an environmental emergency, and have taken all measures to control the situation in Los Lagos region, where there has been a team on hand to bring dead salmon to fish meal plants, and bring the rest to a suitable place for natural degradation to occur," added Mr Súnico.

In addition, the Secretary said that while there will be a decline in output this year, simultaneously industry will benefit from the best prices for this product abroad.

"This crisis, coupled with a decrease in production of Norwegian industry has caused a soar in salmon prices in international markets. "According to the latest numbers we have seen, is reaching 5.8 dollars/pound, compared with $4 before the crisis. "Therefore, from a broader perspective, salmon companies will have a higher return on their product from this price increase, and we hope that also translates into to maintain the employment situation as stable as possible," he said.

Source

http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/27362/over-32-thousand-tons-of-...

Fish kill in Florida: 'Heartbreaking images' seen for miles (3/25/16)

There Goes Vacation! Thousands of Jellyfish Wash Ashore on Florida Beach

http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/15642-thousands-of-jellyfish...

Beachgoers in a South Florida town found their terrirory invaded by little purple jellyfish this past week.

Hallandale Beach outside Miami was covered in thousands of sea creatures called Velella velella, which have little sails that normally allow them to steer clear of the shore.

However, the jellyfish, which are also known as "purple sailors" or "by-the-wind sailors" can sometimes find themselves blown toward beaches en masse in a phenomenon that locals say happens every three years or so.

"We are flying our Purple flag for dangerous marine life," the city wrote on its Facebook page Thursday. 

While not dangerous to humans themselves, velella are often accompanied by the Portuguese Man-o-War, a species that can serious harm humans.

The city warned locals to try to avoid touching the jellyfish and said the clean-up process for the thousands of creatures littering the beach would be "gradual."

For residents of the coastal Pacific Northwest, Velella velella might look familiar.

This past July, the jellyfish began showing up on the Oregon, California and Washington coasts en masse.

http://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/mysterious-death-of-dozens-of-bir...

Mysterious death of dozens of birds leaves biologist perplexed

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2016/04/07/25048/Nor%E2%80%99...

Published : 07 Apr 2016, 15:31:26

Roughly 5,000 birds of different species were killed as a nor’wester wreaked havoc at Tirerhat village in Jessore Sadar upazila on Wednesday night.

Locals said they found around 5,000 birds, including Doel, Shalik, Masranga, Bulbuli and Ghughu, lying dead at different places of the village after the storm on Thursday morning, according to a news agency report.

Later, they buried the dead birds at the village.

Dr. Saibur Rahman Mollah, dean of the Environmental Science Faculty of Jessore University of Science and Technology, said the death of such a large number of birds will certainly have a bad impact on the biodiversity of the area.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/909537-drought-blamed-as-thousa...

Drought blamed as thousands of fish found dead in Lampang

LAMPANG:-- Hundreds of villagers gathered in Lampang on Sunday after thousands of fish were found dead in the Nam Wang river.

The death of fish is being blamed on the severe drought affecting many parts of Thailand, reports Manager.co.th.

Municipal officials said that the lack of water caused and a sudden decrease in oxygen levels which resulted in the death of the fish.

Locals first spotted the dead fish on Sunday morning and by late Sunday evening more than 100 people were said to be collecting the dead fish from the water.

A villager who lives nearby the river told local reporters that an unusual smell of fish was coming from the water on Saturday evening. On Sunday morning they woke up to find the whole river full with dead fish.

The low water levels in Nam Wang is the result of the local authority draining water out the river so it can be used in drought hit areas throughout the province. The water was drained so that the river could then take more water from Kiw Lom dam as part of the water management during the current drought crisis.

However, the draining of the water resulted in oxygen levels dropping too low for the fish meaning they had an insufficient amount of oxygen to survive.

and another:

http://www.sott.net/article/316208-Thousands-of-dead-fish-found-on-...

Thousands of dead fish found on beach in Samoa

It was a horrific scene according to villagers, where thousands of dead juvenile fish washed ashore and were laid out on one side of Amouli Beach.

Employees of the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR) were dispatched to the area after concerned villagers called.

Thousands of dead juvenile fish were found on the shores of Amouli village this past Wednesday. Exactly what caused it is unknown at this time.

Samoa News spoke to two DMWR employees who confirmed that samples of the water have been shipped off island for analysis and testing, to determine if there are nitrites, or ammonia in the water — pollutants that may have contributed to Wednesday's unexpected event.

The group of dead fish included species of rabbitfish (lo), squirrelfish (malau), and goatfish (i'a sina).

DMWR's Alama Tua explained that DMWR staff biologists would test the fish to determine the cause of death. The American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency (AS-EPA) is also on board, assisting DMWR in trying to find out what happened.

https://yamkin.wordpress.com/2016/04/11/100000-lbs-of-dead-fish-fou...

100,000 lbs of dead fish found in a reservoir in Sifangtai District, China

April 11, 2016

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/thousands-dead-fish-wash-up...

Thousands of dead fish wash up on shores of Chilean river leaving experts baffled

• 08:28, 12 Apr 2016
• Updated 08:32, 12 Apr 2016

Masses of lifeless sardines choked the waters in and around the river - but experts are scratching their heads over what caused their deaths

This footage shows the thousands of dead sardines found floating on along the shores of Queule River in the southern Chile that have left experts puzzled.

Scientists have admitted they are baffled by the bizarre phenomenon and are still investigating the cause of the deaths.

Television news footage showed masses of the lifeless silver fish more than a foot deep choking the waters in and around the river shores and boats.

At the weekend, Chilean health authorities began removing tons of sardines, scooping them up in baskets and loading them on to boats and a crane fork.

The National Fisheries and Aquaculture at the weekend confirmed on its Twitter account the start of the operation.

Fisherwoman and Queule neighbourhood leader, Victoria Benavente, said the situation was critical.

"The situation is critical. I think that today, is the fifth day and the government should've declared a disaster area. The health part is tremendous, children should not have classes, headaches are immense," Benavente said.

Local media reported there was an imminent health risk at Queule cove, which surprised fishermen and the coastal community.

The leader of Queule Cove fishermen, Hernan Machuca, said more local government workers were needed to remove the dead fish.

"Experience tells us that if we have already collected a thousand tons, at least here in the river (Queule) there are 10 thousand more.

"And that entails a lot of hours working. It means it can't be possible they hired 50 people to solve this problem. It can't be there are four to five boats.

"The government here has to declare the inlet of Queule and its surroundings a health catastrophe zone," Machuca said.

Local media also reported that authorities were removing the sardines to a dumping site and banned the consumption of the fish, in case it poses a human threat.

https://yamkin.wordpress.com/2016/04/14/thousands-of-dead-sword-fis...

Thousands of dead sword fish found on Lopes Mendes sands in Brazil

4m long giant oarfish caught in central Vietnam (4/15/16)

Two people in the central province of Nghe An unexpectedly discovered a giant oarfish floating on the water on April 13th. They immediately pulled the fish onshore. The fish was 3.6 m long, weighing about 25 kg.

The two lucky men were Pham Xuan Chien and Nguyen Ngoc Duy, residents of Quynh Phuong Ward, Hoang Mai Town, Nghe An, who saw the giant fish while walking along the coast for fresh air in late afternoon on April 13.

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/155127/4m-long-giant-oarfi...

http://e.vnexpress.net/video/tons-of-dead-fish-wash-up-on-vietnams-...

Tons of dead fish wash up on Vietnam's central coast

 April 20, 2016 | 10:23 pm GMT+7

‘And then we wept': Scientists say 93 percent of the Great Barrier Reef now bleached

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/04/2...

The conclusions are in from a series of scientific surveys of the Great Barrier Reef bleaching event — an environmental assault on the largest coral ecosystem on Earth — and scientists aren’t holding back about how devastating they find them.

Australia’s National Coral Bleaching Task Force has surveyed 911 coral reefs by air, and found at least some bleaching on 93 percent of them. The amount of damage varies from severe to light, but the bleaching was the worst in the reef’s remote northern sector — where virtually no reefs escaped it.

“Between 60 and 100 percent of corals are severely bleached on 316 reefs, nearly all in the northern half of the Reef,” Prof. Terry Hughes, head of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University, said in a statement to the news media. He led the research.

Severe bleaching means that corals could die, depending on how long they are subject to these conditions. The scientists also reported that based on diving surveys of the northern reef, they already are seeing nearly 50 percent coral death.

“The fact that the most severely affected regions are those that are remote and hence otherwise in good shape, means that a lot of prime reef is being devastated,” said Nancy Knowlton, Sant Chair for Marine Science at the Smithsonian Institution, in an email in response to the bleaching announcement. “One has to hope that these protected reefs are more resilient and better able to [recover], but it will be a lengthy process even so.”

Knowlton added that Hughes, who led the research, is “NOT an alarmist.”

Here’s a map that the group released when announcing the results, showing clearly that bleaching hit the northern parts of the reef the worst:

Hughes tweeted the map above, writing, “I showed the results of aerial surveys of #bleaching on the #GreatBarrierReef to my students, And then we wept.”

“This is, by far, the worst bleaching they’ve seen on the Great Barrier Reef,” said Mark Eakin, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch, which partners with the Australian National Coral Bleaching Taskforce. “Our climate model-based Four Month Bleaching Outlook was predicting that severe bleaching was likely for the [Great Barrier Reef] back in December. Unfortunately, we were right and much of the reef has bleached, especially in the north.”

Responding to the news Wednesday, the Australian government’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority put out a statement from its chairman Russell Reichelt. “While the data is incomplete, it is clear there will be an impact on coral abundance because of bleaching-induced mortality, mainly in the far north,” the statement said in part.

Coral bleaching occurs when corals are stressed by unusually high water temperatures, or from other causes. When this happens, symbiotic algae, called zooxanthellae, leave the corals’ bodies. This changes their color to white and can also in effect starve them of nutrients. If bleaching continues for too long, corals die.

There already have been reports of mass coral death around the Pacific atoll of Kiribati this year — and widespread coral bleaching worldwide, a phenomenon that scientists attribute to a strong El Niño event surfing atop a general climate warming trend.

Tourism involving the Great Barrier Reef is worth $5 billion annually, and accounts for close to 70,000 jobs, according to the news release from the Australian National Coral Bleaching Taskforce.

The full toll of the current global bleaching event has not yet been determined.

-----------------------

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/20/asia/great-barrier-reef-coral-bleaching/

Fisherman nets 16-foot-long beast off Taiwanese coast (4/21/16)

• The giant Oarfish was caught on April 19 off the coast of Taiwan

The mega-fish which was caught of the Taiwanese coast on April 19 measured 16 feet long, the People's Daily Online reports.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/peoplesdaily/article-3551214/Sweet-...

Southern Chile a Graveyard for Marine Wildlife (Apr 27)

In 2015, southern Chile became home to the largest beaching event in history. One year and several mass beachings later, and the region has earned a new title: marine graveyard.

In April, thousands of dead sardines swamped southern Chile's Queule River.

The swamping occurred almost a year after 337 sei whales washed up on the coast of southern Chile's Patagonia region, and mere months after thousands of squid washed ashore the Island of Santa Maria in Chile's south.

The cause of death in all three circumstances remains undetermined.

Sources

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/southern-chile-is-be...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3074367/Sei-whales-dead-Chi...

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/thousands-of-squid-wash-ashore-on-chile-...

http://www.news24.com/Green/News/heatwave-kills-fish-in-cambodian-l...

Doha - About 65 tons of fish have been found dead in Tonle Chhmar Lake in central Cambodia.

The deaths are thought to be due to a combination of drought and a heatwave affecting much of Southeast Asia.

According to the Cambodia Daily newspaper, the drought reduced the water level in the lake to just 20cm, and the temperature of the shallow water soared in the heatwave.

Temperatures in many parts of the country are well above average for this time of year, with the capital Phnom Penh seeing temperatures about 5°C above usual.

The heatwave is exacerbating the issues of the drought which have been affecting the country since monsoon rains failed last year.

The rainy season in Cambodia starts in May, and runs until November. It brings approximately 75% of the annual rainfall.

Last year the rains were far weaker than usual - a consequence of the El Nino conditions dominating weather around the globe.

and another:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/officials-ponder-remove-dead-wha...

Onlookers Marvel at Size, Stench of Dead Whale in California

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Apr 26, 2016, 9:24 PM ET

The massive, reeking carcass of a 40-foot gray whale rotted Tuesday at a popular California surfing spot, luring dozens of gawkers while authorities decided whether to tow it out to sea or cut it into pieces and load them on trucks.

Its enormous tongue was so swollen that it bulged out of its mouth like a giant black balloon. Seaweed still dangled from its mouth, and only a few patches of grey-black skin were left on the body, which was a light beige color from the fat underneath.

Curious onlookers positioned themselves upwind to avoid the overpowering stench of the decomposing carcass that may weigh up to 30 tons and towered over them as they took selfies and knelt to examine the animal.

Cynthia Stern of Santa Monica drove 75 miles with her friend to place a pink and white orchid by the whale and press homeopathic remedies onto its rotting blubber. The orchid was a gift from her son last Mother's Day and bloomed only a few days ago.

"You should be paying homage to such creatures that are so intelligent and so wonderful," she said. "You could start to feel the positive energy as you walked down the beach. Even though it's a carcass, it's profoundly positive — and anyone who went there is blessed."

Removal will be a difficult, messy process whether the carcass is towed out to sea or cut up and hauled away on trucks, said Rich Haydon, superintendent at San Onofre State Beach.

"I don't think the carcass could have landed on a worse stretch of beach," he said, citing its limited access for vehicles and the popularity of the beach known as Lower Trestles south of San Clemente.

Burial on the beach isn't feasible because the stretch is mostly cobblestones, Haydon said.

Heraclio Belmontes of Newport Beach went to see the whale with his two brothers.

"It's at least twice my height," he said. "I was a chef . for a while, so I've seen all sorts of dead fish. But never like this."

Monica Perez brought her three children, ages 7 to 11, to see the unusual sight. They made observations about the texture of the whale's skin and talked about decomposition with their mother as they circled the carcass.

They counted nine footsteps as they measured the whale's tail from end to end where it lay on the sand.

"It's very scientific. It's not every day that you have a whale that washes up onto your beach, and there's a lot that we can learn from these majestic creatures," Perez said. "We did miss the end of school, but I figure that this is school in action."

The whale likely died of natural causes and was discovered Sunday on the beach. A decision on what to do with the carcass isn't expected for a day or two.

A second whale about the same size was spotted over the weekend floating off shore. That carcass is breaking apart in the water.

and another:

http://www.thebigwobble.org/2016/04/almost-200-tonnes-of-dead-fish-...

Tuesday, 26 April 2016

Almost 200 tonnes of dead fish reported due to heat and extreme weather in the last couple of day's

Harsh summer: Decayed marine life is swept ashore in a drying lake near Muktapur village of Pochampally mandal in Nalgonda District on Sunday as a drought sweeps across the land. Photo: Nagara Gopal

Extreme weather is taking it's toll around the globe as nearly two hundred tonnes of dead fish have been reported due to the weather in the last two day's

Tonnes of fish killed by heat in Kampong Thom Cambodia
Record-breaking temperatures and drought are wreaking havoc across the Kingdom as officials yesterday reported the die-off of an estimated 65 tonnes of fish in Kampong Thom’s Tonle Chhmar protected area and warned the entire fish population of the lake may perish.
According to Nao Thuok, secretary-general of the Ministry of Agriculture, low water levels and high temperatures are now posing an existential threat to the fish population and measures are being taken to try and protect those left alive. Full story


Oppressive heat is killing the fish in India
About 40 tonnes of fish perish in Muktapur village tank of Bhoodan Pochampally.
Severe heat wave and dry weather have killed about 40 tonnes of fish in Muktapur village tank of Bhoodan Pochampally mandal in Nalgonda district in the past two days.
Local fishermen began releasing water from the tank to Pochampally tank downstream 20 days ago to reduce the water level so that they could resume fishing. Full story


More than 70 tons of dead fish have been found in the Cienaga de Zapayán Colombia
The accident occurred in the water, on Wednesday, after heavy rain that fell in the region of Magdalena River, 90 people, including farmers and fishermen have been collecting the remains of hundreds of thousands of fish.
According to the President of the Fishermen's Association Zapayán, Miguel Carracedo, "the work of recovering the dead species has been the result of collaboration of volunteers and members of the police, who have helped us at all times."
The municipality say 70 tons of fish have been removed but that is only a percentage of the total of dead animals.
For the Secretary of Government of Zapayán, Eduardo Guette, "it has recovered only 40 percent of the species that died by the phenomenon that caused the calamity."

Taiwan Fisherman Lands TWO Giant Oarfish (Apr 28)

Fisherman Lee Chung-cheng left locals stunned when he pulled two giant oarfish from the water.

It is the first time that Mr Lee, from Taiwan's small coastal fishing town Taimali, or any of his peers have caught this fish, so everyone who witnessed them were unsurprisingly stunned.

He said: "I've been fishing for almost 30 years and this is a first for me - and somehow I managed to get two at once.

"Locals have captured all sorts of things, even whale sharks, but never something like this.”

It is extremely uncommon for them to be seen by humans near the surface.

Both of Mr Lee’s captures are 4.4 metres long and weigh 44kg.

Sources

http://www.express.co.uk/news/science/665717/monster-earthquake-mon...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/terrifying-mud-volcano-erup...

http://focustaiwan.tw/photos/20160428/enp0010m.aspx

Carcasses of blue buttons wash ashore Odisha coast (5/2/16)

Carcasses of thousands of blue button jellyfish were found along Konark-Astaranga coastline in Odisha’s Puri district since last two-three days raising concerns among the environmentalists and wildlife experts.

While the blue button jellyfish are found in tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, the sight of dead hydroids along the Bay of Bengal is rare as they survive in warm waters and seldom found here.

...“It is a rare phenomenon here as we don’t find blue button jellyfish along Odisha coast. The blue buttons might be dying due to climate change or marine water pollution,” an environmentalist expressed.

article: http://odishasuntimes.com/2016/05/02/carcasses-blue-buttons-wash-as...

photo: http://www.orissapost.com/dead-blue-buttons-found/

35 Tons of Dead Fish Appear in Chinese Lake (May 4)

At least 35 tons of dead fish appeared in a lake in southern China, leaving residents stunned.

The piles of fish washed up in a lake in Hainan province on Wednesday, Chinese state media reported.

More than 100 workers were deployed to remove the fish, to prevent them from being sold to consumers.

According to a tweet by China’s state newspaper, the workers cleared more than 20 tons of fish in five hours.

Sources

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/07/china/china-dead-fish-in-lake/

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/news/a44665/china-dead-fish/

http://time.com/4321592/dead-fish-china-lake/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/peoplesdaily/article-3574624/Apocal...

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/2000-pigs-die-of...

2,000 pigs die of respiratory syndrome in Aizawl

Over 2,000 pigs have died in the Mizoram-Myanmar border Champhai town and surrounding villages due to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), Champhai Area Vawkvulh Association (CAVA) or Champhai area Pig Rearers’ Association president K. Zamlova has said.

Zamlova told PTI over phone from Champhai that the PRRS outbreak, which started more than a month back, continued unabated as more pigs were dying everyday while fresh infections causing illness continued in the affected area covering 19 village councils in Champhai town and nearby villages.

There was no official figure yet on the PRRS toll and Champhai District Veterinary Officer Dr Lalchungnunga Pudaite said they depend on the local Young Mizo Association (YMA) branches, which had been collecting data on the deaths and infections.

Dr. Pudaite claimed the district veterinary officials acted fast, but there were some constraints and waste of time in determination of the disease as samples of the dead pigs were sent to laboratories and the results routed through the Directorate of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary.

Shortage of antibiotics to combat the outbreak was the main hurdle, he said, adding PRRS vaccination was yet to be invented.

YMA’s Champhai sub-headquarter volunteers dug trenches with excavators near the town to use them as temporary burial grounds for the dead pigs to prevent spread of the disease.

At least 3,000 pigs died in Mizoram in 2013 due to the outbreak of PRRS in the State which affected six of the eight districts during March to April that year, forcing the State government to prohibit import of pigs and piglets from Myanmar.

The opposition Mizo National Front accused the government of importing piglets from Myanmar in 2014, knowing that the disease was perpetually prevalent in that country and favouritism was involved in the purchase of piglets from Myanmar.

Zamlova said F. Lalrithanga of Venglai locality in Champhai lost 55 pigs due to the PRRS followed by Malsawma of Zotlang near Champhai who lost 43 pigs. - PTI

Mangroves die-off in Queensland's Gulf Country and Limmen Bight 'may be due to warmer oceans' (5/9/16)

Photo: Mangroves along the coast of Karumba have turned a ghostly white.

...Experts have been focusing on hundreds of kilometres of mangroves along the coast of Karumba in Queensland's Gulf Country and at Limmen Bight in the Northern Territory that have turned a ghostly white.

"It appears to coincide with a period of hot water in the southern Gulf, but we need more evidence," Professor Norm Duke from Queensland's James Cook University said.

...He said the die-off already appeared to be having an effect on fish stocks at Karumba - a small Gulf town that relies heavily on the industry.

"What we were told by one fishermen was that there is a reduction in catch, so there seems to be a correlation with what we might expect," he said.

"One of the values of these forests is to support local fisheries."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-10/mangroves-die-off-along-coast...

Limmen Bight, Northern Territory and Karumba, Queensland

Thousands of tuna crab wash ashore in Imperial Beach (5/11/16)

Thousands of tuna crab washed ashore near the pier in Imperial Beach Wednesday morning. 

Lifeguards first discovered the crabs during low tide. This marks the second year in a row the tuna crabs have washed ashore in such large numbers.

"Just like last year, in June we had a washing of tuna crabs and they think its correlated with El Nino," said Imperial Beach Lifeguard Captain Robert Stabenow. "The warmer waters are pushing them up and when they hit the cold waters of San Diego, they die off."

http://www.cbs8.com/story/31949244/thousands-of-tuna-crab-wash-asho...

Hordes of Tuna Crabs Wash Ashore Along Orange County Coastline (5/14/16)

Hordes of tuna crabs have again invaded stretches of the Orange County coastline.

Lifeguards in Newport Beach said they've seen waves of the crabs washing ashore since Wednesday.

...Marine experts have speculated that warmer ocean temperatures could be causing the crabs to wash ashore more frequently. Currents pushed groups of crabs ashore at least twice in 2015.Crabs primarily inhabit the west coast of Baja California and the Gulf of California and spend the majority of the year hiding on sandy ocean bottoms.

http://ktla.com/2016/05/14/hordes-of-tuna-crabs-wash-ashore-along-o...

Hundreds of TONS of dead sardines wash ashore on Chile's Southern coast (5/16/16)

Fishermen estimate between 500 and 600 tons of dead sardines washed up in Tolten, around 500 miles south of the capital Santiago.

A similar phenomenon occurred last month in the nearby Queule river, where another 500 tons of dead sardines turned up on the river banks.

The cause behind this specific phenomenon is still unknown, but it comes after the government declared an emergency zone along Chile's south as it deals with the country's worst ever "red tide" of algae.

Fishermen in the archipelago of Chiloe have been protesting for weeks as the toxic algal bloom is threatening their livelihood.

Many have blamed commercial salmon farms for the "red tide," even though most experts say it's linked to high temperatures stemming from the El Nino weather pattern, which comes with warming sea temperatures.

http://www.wilx.com/news/haveyouseenthis/headlines/Thousands-of-dea...

24 beached pilot whales die in Gulf of California despite rescue effort (5/16/16)

A group of 24 pilot whales died after becoming beached in the Gulf of California south of the fishing port of San Felipe, Mexico, despite overnight efforts to move them to deeper waters, Mexican authorities said on Sunday. Three survived — two adults and a calf, according to Mexico’s environmental protection agency, PROFEPA.

The whales showed no visible injuries, nor signs that they had been entangled in fishing nets. “The supposition is that they became disoriented,” according to the agency’s statement.

...Rosario Carrillo, whose husband operates the camp, said she was notified by local fishermen of the whales. “I have seen two or three beached, but never this many,” Carrillo said.

...Despite efforts to move the whales to deeper waters, they “would once again return to shallow areas toward the beach, which caused them to once again become stuck,” according to PROFEPA.

The PROFEPA statement said that pilot whales have “strong social cohesion,” and that they “don’t abandon other whales that are in danger, even if it means death.”

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-pilot-whales-die-201605...

Rare Oarfish Found on New Zealand Beach (May 20)

A deep-sea fish rarely seen in New Zealand waters has washed up on a beach near Kaikoura.

The 3-meter oddity was found on a beach on Conway Flats, south of Kaikoura, on May 20.

Source

http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/80236317/rare-oarfish-found-wash...

Red tuna crabs wash ashore on beach at Monterey Bay, California (5/23/16)

There were hundreds of thousands on the beach Monday according to Andrew DeVogelaere, a research coordinator director with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network.

http://www.mercurynews.com/central-coast/ci_29933056/red-tuna-crabs...

These crabs like warm water and this past El Niño has kept the Monterey Bay warmer than usual.

"The thicker layer of warmer water prevents the up-welling of the nutrient filled water we normally see in the springtime and summertime," said Francisco Chavez, a climate expert with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.

And as a result the commercial squid season has been a bust since it opened in April. According to Catanzaro, his 6 boats have had a tough time catching any squid locally.

"They go out once or twice a week just to survey the area, and they haven't seen anything, they haven't gotten anything. It hurts us really big, the fisherman, the fishing community, and anybody that makes their living off of the ocean," said Catanzaro.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/news/local-news/pelagic-red-crabs-retur...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/australian-town...

Australian town declares 'state of emergency' after being invaded by 100,000 bats

• Wednesday 25 May 2016

An Australian tourist hotspot has been declared a disaster area after being invaded by more than 100,000 bats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYQLSFyBTFM

Over 100,000 grey-headed flying foxes have deterred tourists and caused power outages, leaving many residents trapped in their own homes.

"We've had many residents complain they feel they're prisoners in their own homes, they can't go out, they have to have air conditioning on the whole time, windows closed," New South Wales Environment Minister Mark Speakman.

Grey-headed flying foxes are listed as a vulnerable species and cannot be culled. As a result, the bats set up a colony in the town several years ago and numbers have increased ever since.

On Tuesday, the NSW government announced an additional A$1 million in funding would be used to relocate the mammals on top of a previously committed A$2.5 million to manage the problem.

How will authorities get rid of them?

Local council has published a draft management plan with several approaches including, spraying down trees with a deterrent, bright lights, smoke combined with loud industrial noise and even using air dancing inflatables like the ones you see outside a car dealership.

“We have to wait and see what the council’s consultants advise on the best dispersal techniques,” local MP Andrew Constance told ABC.

“The community is desperate for any solution to be tried” -- Local MP Andrew Constance.

Grey-headed flying foxes measure up to 28 cm in length. They feed on pollen, nectar and fruit.

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/see-over-100000-bats...

Pod of Orcas Spotted off Louisiana Coast (May 21)

A group of friends who went out in the Gulf of Mexico hoping to catch some tuna stumbled upon an extremely rare sight: a pod of orcas.

The sighting is significant because orcas are most common in the Arctic and Antarctic and often spotted off the west coast of the U.S. and Canada -- far from the Gulf of Mexico. Orcas tend to roam in cold waters, not warm coastal areas.

The group was fishing 50 miles south of South Pass, Louisiana when they spotted the killer whales not far from their boat. Easy to spot given their iconic black and white coloring, orcas usually hunt in large groups. The boaters captured video of the orcas swimming through the gulf and posted it on Instagram.

Sources

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rare-orca-sighting-in-gulf-of-mexico-ca...

http://klfy.com/2016/05/27/sighting-of-orcas-in-gulf-has-scientists...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFuHopKi_bX/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3614326/Beach-walker-airlif...

Beach-walker airlifted to hospital after picking up a rare poisonous tropical fish on a Welsh seaside resort 

A man enjoying a bank holiday weekend seaside stroll had to be airlifted to hospital after he was stung by a rare poisonous fish

The 70-year-old man was left fighting for breath after being stung by the by the toxic spines on a weever fish at a Welsh seaside resort. 

The man was near the pier in Trefor on the Llyn Peninsula, North Wales, on Saturday morning when he spotted the creature - and picked it up in the shallows.

The man was near the pier in Trefor on the Llyn Peninsula, North Wales, (pictured) on Saturday morning when he spotted the fish - and picked it up in the shallows but was stung, triggering respiratory problems (file photo) 

A spokesman said: 'Weever fish (pictured) have spines going along their backs. It's a small fish but it has a very nasty sting. 'The man picked it up and it stung his hand (file photo)

The fish stung his hand triggering respiratory problems in the septuagenarian and the alarm was raised by a coastguard team.

A spokesman said: 'Weever fish have spines going along their backs. It's a small fish but it has a very nasty sting.

'The man picked it up and it stung his hand.

Beware the Weever fish! Important information on the stinger

'It's normally not a life-threatening sting but the man began having respiratory problems.'

An air ambulance from Caernarfon arrived on the scene and took the man to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

Weever fish - normally yellow and about four inches long - come into the shallows during warmer weather.

They are normally found in the tropics but live in small numbers around the British coast.

Weever fish (pictured( - normally yellow and about four inches long - come into the shallows during warmer weather. They are normally found in the tropics but live in small numbers around the British coast (file photo)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/dead-fish-capeli...

'This is a natural thing. Folks shouldn't be too worried'

Hundreds of dead capelin found along the North Shore. (Submitted )

By Krystalle Ramlakhan, CBC News Posted: Jun 01, 2016 4:28 PM AT

A mass of dead fish covering some of P.E.I.'s North Shore have been identified as capelin, and scientists say their death was a natural occurrence.

"Capelin die naturally after they spawn. It's not a particularly common sighting on Prince Edward Island," said Sean Landsman, a PhD student at the University of Prince Edward Island with the Canadian Rivers Institute.

Landsman saw the dead fish in Cavendish along the beach around 7 p.m. Tuesday. He's researching spawning habits of fish on the Island and visited the beach at the request of the province. 

Although dead capelin along the beach are a rare sight on P.E.I., it's a natural occurrence because they die after they spawn. (Submitted by Sean Landsman)

Dead fish reported by Parks Canada

The provincial department of communities, land and environment was contacted Tuesday by Parks Canada reporting a large number of dead fish on the beach in Cavendish.

The province, in consultation with Landsman, determined the fish died of natural causes. 

'It probably was fairly startling if someone just walking along on the beach and suddenly there's a whole string of dead fish for meters and meters, hundreds of meters down the beach.'
- Sean Landsman

Landsman found eggs buried in the sandproviding evidence of spawning.

"It probably was fairly startling if someone just walking along on the beach and suddenly there's a whole string of dead fish for meters and meters, hundreds of meters down the beach," said Landsman.

"But this is a natural thing. Folks shouldn't be too worried. This isn't the result of a crazy fish kill. This is natural actually."

Capelin fish lay their eggs in the warm sand and then die. (Submitted by Sean Landsman)

People seeing more capelin in P.E.I. waters

Landsman said the fish is in the same family as a smelt and look similar. 

"In this region we think of capelin in Newfoundland, not in Prince Edward Island. They aren't too common on Prince Edward Island," said Landsman.

But he said people are seeing a lot more of them lately – fishermen are catching them in their nets and more are appearing on shores.    

Capelin and smelt are in the same family but aren't the same fish. (Submitted by Sean Landsman)

 

Capelin travel in schools and inhabit Canadian and European waters. Landsman said it's not uncommon for these schooling fish to move into new areas, particularly if their environment changes. Atlantic salmon, cod, puffins, and other sea birds eat capelin

"I've had it before. It's great on the grill."

Capelin are not that common on P.E.I., but PhD student Sean Landsman says people are seeing more on the Island. (Submitted by Sean Landsman)

Landsman said birds and foxes should do a pretty good job of cleaning the dead fish off the beaches. 

There is no commercial fishery for capelin on P.E.I., but it is an important fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador.

There is an online reporting system called the Capelin Observers Network where people can submit information about sightings. 

Landsman suggests any sightings of dead capelin be reported to officials. 

http://odishasuntimes.com/2016/06/12/bata-river-thousands-fish-foun...

After Bata river, thousands of fish found dead in Gohira dam

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Deogarh, Jun 12:

Barely a week after thousands of dead fish were found afloat in Bata river in Odisha’s Paradip, similar sight is being witnessed in Gohira Dam Reservoir in Deogarh district since past one week.

According to reports, thousands of dead fish were found floating in the Gohira dam near Kapasira in the district.

While the reason behind the unnatural phenomenon was unknown, the district administration has formed a team to investigate into this.

“Sub Collector, District Fisheries Officer and officials of Regional unit of State Pollution Control Board have been asked to investigate into the matter,” District Collector Purna Chandra Pathy said.

Notably, the locals had been witnessing the dead fish floating in the waters since last one week. Though the reason behind this is unclear as of now, environmentalists have demanded for a proper investigation adding that high temperature could be one of the reasons to this.

Meanwhile, the district administration has advised the local people and fishermen not to consume the dead fish till a clear picture comes out in this case.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-kolkata-hundreds-of-fish-found...

Hundreds of fish were found dead under mysterious circumstances in the Rabindra Sarobar Lake in Kolkata on Thursday morning.

As morning walkers took a stroll around the lake, they spotted hundreds of dead fish floating on the surface of the water and informed the authorities. Workers from Kolkata Municipal Corporation then brought out the dead fish from the lake.

While the cause is unclear, environment expert Subhas Dutta said water pollution could have resulted in their death. “The authorities that maintain the lake should be pulled up. They have not been able to maintain all the safety measures and prevent pollution of the water. Proper measures and standard procedures should be followed to maintain the lake as well as the fish,” said Dutta.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has set up a committee to look into the issue of the dead fish. “The authorities who maintain the lake should not be blamed as the beautification has little to do with the natural changes in the water. Still, we are going to look into this,” said Sovan Chatterjee, Kolkata mayor.

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/06/state_agencies_investigati...

State agencies investigating fish kill on Black Warrior River

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Alabama Department of Environmental Management are investigating a fish kill on the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River, in the immediate vicinity of the Gorgas Generating Plant, a coal-fired power plant operated by Alabama Power. 

Alabama Power spokesman Michael Sznajderman confirmed Saturday that ADCNR and ADEM were looking into the incident and that the company was supporting their investigation.

"It did take place near Plant Gorgas but it is unclear at the moment what the cause was or if it has a connection to our operations," Sznajderman said in an email.

Messages left for ADCNR and ADEM were not immediately returned this weekend.

On Wednesday, local fisherman James Bramlett reported seeing dozens, perhaps hundreds of dead fish floating in the Mulberry Fork and Baker's Creek, which flows past the Gorgas plant into the river.  

Clean water advocacy group Black Warrior Riverkeeper investigated on Thursday and estimated that "between 50 and 100" dead fish were still floating in the water, though some were beginning to decompose or had marks from boat engines.

Staff riverkeeper Nelson Brooke said that the group identified dead largemouth bass, striped bass, freshwater drum, skipjack herring and gars. Some of the bass were quite large, Brooke said.

Brooke said an oily sheen was visible on the water's surface downstream of Baker's Creek among the dead fish, which had accumulated in the middle of the river and within aquatic vegetation along the banks.

The map below, created by Black Warrior Riverkeeper, shows the areas where the dead fish were found. The Riverkeeper group said they are waiting for the results of the state agencies' investigation, but recommends not eating fish caught near this area until a cause is determined.

We'll have more details on this situation as they become available.

http://www.galwayindependent.com/news/topics/articles/2016/06/20/41...

Dead fish in the Yellow River, near Dunmore, Co. Galway, following a fish kill caused by pollution.

http://www.thebigwobble.org/2016/06/60-tons-of-fish-are-dead-in-loi...

Tuesday, 21 June 2016

60 tons of fish are dead in the Loire river after bad weather hits France

Photo en.wikipedia.org: Loire River
Maine-et-Loire: franceTV have reported 60 tons of fish suffocated when flood waters receded along the river Loire
This is a consequence of bad weather which has devasted France this month.
With the decline of the Loire and its tributaries, thousands of fish have become trapped, deprived of oxygen.
Mules, all dead.
But also pike, eels and zander which accumulate on the shore.
It is at this sad spectacle qu'assistent regulars fishermen of the place, quoted as saying.
"I have never seen a disaster like this."
At Champtocé (Maine-et-Loire), the commotion of combat. 30 firefighters backed by municipal employees and volunteers worked tirelessly since Monday to collect the dead fish.
60 tons of dead fish collected in one week
Despite the stench, the Mayor is facing the situation.
"Apart from discouragement as we can have, and the pain that one can have with all these dead fish, my concern is the health aspect .
We want to collect the bodies as soon as possible to avoid nuisance, "says Valerie Leveque Mayor Champtocé.
This is the slow decline of the Loire is the cause of this carnage.
60 tons of dead fish collected in one week. Rome, a small tributary of the Loire, is mounted above normal levels.
The plants have absorbed oxygen needed by fish, causing their deaths by the thousands.

Study finds contagious cancers are spreading among several species of shellfish

http://phys.org/news/2016-06-contagious-cancers-species-shellfish.html

The oceans are home to innumerable and diverse species of marine life. A new paper, published in Nature, suggests that the watery medium that nourishes and protects this life may also promote the spread of certain cancers, both within and across species.

The study, performed by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center, with collaborators in Canada and Spain, examined a variety of mollusks harboring a form of cancer known as disseminated neoplasia, a leukemia-like disease that affects populations of bivalves in many parts of the world. The team has discovered that in several species, cancer cells themselves were spreading from animal to animal as a contagious clonal cell line.

"Our results suggest that direct transmission of cancer among marine animals may be much more common than once thought," said senior author, Stephen Goff, PhD, the Higgins Professor of Biochemistry in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Bbiophysics and the Deparment of Microbiology & Immunology at Columbia University Medical Center.

In earlier efforts, Dr. Goff's team initially looked for viruses that might have been causing cancers in the soft shell clam (Mya arenaria). But it turned out not to be the case that a virus was spreading in the oceans - instead, the cancer cells themselves were spreading from animal to animal. Direct transmission of cancer cells is quite rare—so far, the phenomenon had only been observed in two species of mammals.

The team has now tested to see if cancers in other mollusks might also be due to contagious cell lines. Goff's team examined the DNA of cancers and the affected host animals of mussels (Mytilus trossulus), cockles (Cerastoderma edule), and golden carpet shell clams (Polititapes aureus) collected from the coasts of Canada and Spain.

In each species, the researchers discovered that the cancers were caused by independent clones of cancer cells that were genetically distinct from their hosts. They also found that in one species, the carpet shell clam, the infectious clone of cancer cells was derived from a related but distinct species. The researchers concluded that this cancer was due to a case of cross-species transmission.

"Now that we have observed the spread of cancer among several marine species, our future research will investigate the mutations that are responsible for these cancer cell transmissions," said Goff.

66 million dead trees in California could fuel 'catastrophic' wildfires, officials say

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/22/dead-trees-californ...

Trees are dying at an ‘unprecedented’ rate due to drought, warmer weather and a bark beetle epidemic, prompting the US agriculture secretary’s warning

The number of trees in California’s Sierra Nevada forests killed by drought, a bark beetle epidemic and warmer temperatures has dramatically increased since last year, raising fears that they will fuel catastrophic wildfires and endanger people’s lives, officials said on Wednesday.

Wildfires raging near LA are ‘0% contained’, say authorities

Since 2010, an estimated 66 million trees have died in a six-county region of the central and southern Sierra hardest hit by the epidemic, the US Forest Service said.

Officials flying over the region captured images of dead patches that have turned a rust-colored red. The mortality from Tuolumne to Kern counties has increased by 65% since the last count announced in October, which found 40m dead trees.

California is in the fifth year of a historic drought, which officials say has deprived trees of water, making them more vulnerable to attack from beetles.

Governor Jerry Brown in October declared an emergency, forming a taskforce charged with finding ways to remove the trees that threaten motorists and mountain communities.

These efforts have hit obstacles, slowing the tree removal as California enters a potentially explosive wildfire season.

Brown pushed for burning the trees at biomass plants to generate electricity, sending them to lumber mills or burning them in large incinerators, removing potential fuel for wildfires.

The US agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, who oversees the Forest Service, said disaster awaits if more money is not invested in managing forests in California and across the country. He urged Congress to act.

“Tree die-offs of this magnitude are unprecedented and increase the risk of catastrophic wildfires that puts property and lives at risk,” he said in a statement. “We must fund wildfire suppression like other natural disasters in the country.”

The Forest Service has committed $32m to California’s epidemic, and the state budgeted $11m for the California department of forestry and fire protection to buy tree removal equipment and to grant local communities money for their own work.

So far, the Forest Service says it has cut down 77,000 trees that pose the greatest risk to people, along roads and near communities and campgrounds. Crews from Cal Fire and Pacific Gas and Electric Co also are at work using chainsaws and wood chippers to remove dangerous trees.

Kathryn Phillips, director of the Sierra Club California, said the die-off from drought should signal to policymakers the urgency of curbing pollution that contributes to climate change.

“This is a warning to all of us,” she said. “We need to cut our air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions more. We’re on the right path, but we need to accelerate our effort.

http://www.assamtimes.org/node/17079

Submitted by Shajid Khan on Fri, 24/06/2016 - 23:24

The large-scale death of fish at the historic Lakhimpur Min Mahal under Kalaigaon revenue circle of Darrang district has left people worried and alarmed at the survival prospects of the aquatic faunas in Lakhimpur phukuri which include turtles, fishes etc. Nearly 15-20 quintals of fishes were found floating on Thursday in the pond, following which hundreds of people gathered to get the dead fishes. Initially the fishes were taken by locals for free. Later fishes ranging from half kilograms to 7-8 kilograms were sold at throw away prices by the committee.

Talking to Assam Times, committee President Dandadhar Deka said the fish killed in pond are due to suffocation caused by nighttime oxygen depletion in the summer.

At about 10 am on Thursday the commitee members to prevent further death of fishes, immediately distributed limestone, banana tree , salt, in the pond, and brought the situataion under control.

http://www.fox13memphis.com/news/thousands-of-dead-fish-found-in-al...

Thousands of dead fish found in, along Memphis waterways

http://www.lep.co.uk/your-lancashire/leyland/farrington/lodges-shut...

Lodges shut after thousands of dead fish found

http://www.lep.co.uk/webimage/1.7985165.1467040813!/image/image.jpg" title="Better times: Withnell Angling Club are currently unable to use Farington Lodge due to contamination"/>

Better times: Withnell Angling Club are currently unable to use Farington Lodge due to contamination

Thousands of fish have been found dead at Farington Lodges.

The discovery was made at the weekend, with local residents and members of the Withnell Angling Club wading into the water to remove dead fish and transfer those still alive – approximately 200, including bream, roach and carp – to the smaller lodger, which was unaffected.

South Ribble Council, which owns the site in Lodge Lane has now closed the it as a safety precaution. Dog walkers are also being asked to keep their animals on a lead because the waters could pose a health risk.

The Environment Agency (EA) has been at on site since Saturday afternoon, using aeration units to raise the oxygen levels in the water. Yesterday there were six aeration units still running and oxygen levels were at 15 per cent.

Councillor Peter Mullineaux said: “Everyone is working very hard to return the lodges back to normal, but in the meantime the Environment Agency has advised that we close the site to the public and it’s likely to remain closed for the next few days.

“Once people heard what had happened the local community and the angling club worked together to clear the water and rescue any live fish, but I understand that the number of fish lost runs into thousands.”

The popular lodges are close to Whitfire Ltd, a wood shavings and sawdust supplier, whose premises were seriously damaged in a fire last week.

It is not yet known if this has lead to any water contamination.

http://www.thebigwobble.org/2016/06/tonnes-of-dead-fish-wash-ashore...

Tuesday, 28 June 2016

Tonnes of dead fish wash ashore in Pedda Cheruvu India

Tonnes of dead fish washed ashore Pedda Cheruvu in Bhoodan Pochampally on Saturday Nalgonda: Tonnes of fish were found dead and floating on the water on Saturday morning in Pedda Cheruvu of Bhudan Pochampally in the district.
Fishermen labor association president Ramesh said the fish started dying from Friday night and washed ashore by Saturday morning reports the HansIndia.
About 10 tonnes of fish worth a fortune to locals died.
Blaming the factories in and around Choutuppal for the tragic incident, he alleged that these factories will release chemical wastages into Musi rivulet through tankers in the midnight.
Ramesh demanded the officials to send the water samples to laboratory tests to know the exact reason.
Bhoodan Pochampally tahsildar Komaraiah visited the spot and examined the perished fish.

Mass Animal Deaths

Deadly Drought: Fish and alligators dying as severe drought hits Pi...

45,000 cattle have died this year due to drought in Tabasco, Mexico

60 tons of fish are dead in the Loire river after bad weather hits France

Deadly radioactive materials were found on British celebrity beach.

http://www.kmov.com/story/32350281/dead-fish-line-banks-of-river-de...

Dead fish line banks of River Des Peres, leave smelly stench blocks away

Posted: Jun 30, 2016 6:57 PM EDTUpdated: Jun 30, 2016 8:23 PM EDT

SOUTH ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) -

Hundreds perhaps thousands of dead fish are lining the banks of the River Des Peres in south St. Louis.

The Missouri Department of Conservation said there could be a few reasons the fish are dying off.

The smell of the rotting fish is apparent at I-55 and Germania Avenue even though the fish are found almost a mile down the road by Morganford where dead fish line both sides of the banks of the river.

Catfish, shad, and Asian carp can all seen rotting on the banks. George Seper, a nearby resident who has lived in his home since 1956, said throughout the years the he has occasionally seen dead fish in the river, but never this many.  He said although he lives just a couple of homes away, the stench has not made it into his home.

Dan Zarlenga of the Missouri Department of Conservation, offered this explanation: “It’s most likely something’s occurred within the last few days to create some kind of stress condition for the fish... that could be anything from the high temperatures we had just a few days ago or it could be an influx of a lot of water from a rain event.”

Zarlenga said the river is a poor environment for the fish to begin with due to great fluctuation in the water levels in addition to the oils and impurities.

http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/wayne-county/dnr-investigates-after...

DNR investigates after dozens of birds found dead near creek in Woodhaven

11:17 PM, Jul 1, 2016

WOODHAVEN, Mich. (WXYZ) - The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now investigating the mysterious deaths of nearly 50 birds along the Marsh Creek in Woodhaven.

Neighbors along Arlington Dr. have no idea why dozens and dozens of birds are dying along the creek banks.

The DNR was out there Friday, collecting the birds in large garbage bags.

Residents are now nervous to let their pets and kids near the water.

Nancy Chinavere told us, "Floating ducks, ducks on land, ducks struggling, everywhere ducks, they were dead. It's just nature. It's beautiful. But when you see something like this, its traumatic. It's very upsetting."

Those who have lived there for more than a decade say they have never seen birds dying in such large numbers.

The DNR says it could take about two weeks before they have a cause. It could range from the water, to bad feed, to even botulism, according to experts.