Spawning stress may have caused kill
CHEROKEE -- Disease or parasites are likely to blame for a weekend fish kill at Colbert Ferry Park.
Angie Crumbley, of Florence, said she was shocked to find about 100 dead fish Sunday floating in Pickwick Lake around the boat ramp of the park on Natchez Trace Parkway.
"There were so many dead fish that is was scary," Crumbley said.
Fearing pollution might have killed the fish, which were mostly shad with a few catfish mixed in, Crumbley alerted the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
Keith Floyd, a supervising fisheries biologist for the state agency, does not suspect pollution is to blame.
"With only shad and catfish being affected, it's more than likely a parasite or disease problem. If a chemical spill were to blame, it would have killed all species of fish, not just a couple," Floyd said.
He was relieved to learn thousands of shad fry and other fish were swimming Monday where the fish kill had occurred during the weekend. Floyd said the abundance of fish indicates there is not a water quality problem.
Most of the dead fish were gone Monday, having either been washed away by the current or eaten by-animals.
He said clusters of dead catfish and shad are often reported in May as both species spawn. Floyd said the stress of spawning could make the fish susceptible to bacterial infections and attacks from parasites.
A similar fish kill occurred in April 2006 on Wheeler Lake.
Crumbley said she was relieved to learn pollution is not suspected. Crumbley and her family enjoy watching wildlife at Colbert Ferry Park and she feared that whatever was killing the fish could harm the Canada geese, deer and other wildlife.
Floyd said the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries relies on anglers and other lake users to alert it of fish kills. Floyd said it's important for anyone who discovers a fish kill to alert the agency as soon as possible.
"If it's a water quality problem, we need to get there pretty quick to do our tests. It doesn't take long for anything that might have been dumped into the water to be washed away or diluted below detectable levels," he said.
CHEROKEE -- Disease or parasites are likely to blame for a weekend fish kill at Colbert Ferry Park.
Angie Crumbley, of Florence, said she was shocked to find about 100 dead fish Sunday floating in Pickwick Lake around the boat ramp of the park on Natchez Trace Parkway.
"There were so many dead fish that is was scary," Crumbley said.
Fearing pollution might have killed the fish, which were mostly shad with a few catfish mixed in, Crumbley alerted the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
Keith Floyd, a supervising fisheries biologist for the state agency, does not suspect pollution is to blame.
"With only shad and catfish being affected, it's more than likely a parasite or disease problem. If a chemical spill were to blame, it would have killed all species of fish, not just a couple," Floyd said.
He was relieved to learn thousands of shad fry and other fish were swimming Monday where the fish kill had occurred during the weekend. Floyd said the abundance of fish indicates there is not a water quality problem.
Most of the dead fish were gone Monday, having either been washed away by the current or eaten by-animals.
He said clusters of dead catfish and shad are often reported in May as both species spawn. Floyd said the stress of spawning could make the fish susceptible to bacterial infections and attacks from parasites.
A similar fish kill occurred in April 2006 on Wheeler Lake.
Crumbley said she was relieved to learn pollution is not suspected. Crumbley and her family enjoy watching wildlife at Colbert Ferry Park and she feared that whatever was killing the fish could harm the Canada geese, deer and other wildlife.
Floyd said the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries relies on anglers and other lake users to alert it of fish kills. Floyd said it's important for anyone who discovers a fish kill to alert the agency as soon as possible.
"If it's a water quality problem, we need to get there pretty quick to do our tests. It doesn't take long for anything that might have been dumped into the water to be washed away or diluted below detectable levels," he said.