Re: 'Very large' fish kill reported in Chesapeake Bay - Cold believed cause for 2 million dead spot, croakers
<TABLE id=apex_layout_271110100662109808 class=formlayout border=0 summary=""><TBODY><TR><TD noWrap align=right>
Archive Number</TD><TD noWrap align=left>20110106.0058</TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>
Published Date</TD><TD noWrap align=left>06-JAN-2011</TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>
Subject</TD><TD noWrap align=left>PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (02): (MD)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
UNDIAGNOSED DIE-OFF, FISH - USA (02): (MARYLAND)
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A ProMED-mail post
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http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
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http://www.isid.org>
Date: 5 Jan 2011
Source: Baltimore Sun [edited]
<
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/green/bs-gr-fish-kill-bay-20110104,0,5624655.story#photo>
Cold believed cause for 2 million dead fish
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State officials say they are investigating a "very large" fish kill
in the Chesapeake Bay, but suspect cold temperatures killed them,
rather than any water-quality problems. An estimated 2 million fish
have been reported dead from the Bay Bridge south to Tangier Sound,
according to the Maryland Department of the Environment [MDE], which
investigates fish kills. The dead fish are primarily adult spot, with
some juvenile croakers.
Agency spokeswoman Dawn Stoltzfus said bay water quality appears
acceptable, and biologists believe "cold-water stress" the likely
cause of the fish kill. Spot are susceptible to colder water, she
said, and normally leave the upper bay by now. Water temperatures
plummeted in late December to near-record lows for that time of year,
about 36 degrees F. The average air temperature last month was 32.4
degrees, 4.3 degrees below normal, and reached 16 degrees at its
lowest, according to the National Weather Service.
Large winter kills of spot have been documented at least twice
before, the MDE spokeswoman said, with about 15 million dying in
early 1976 and a smaller number in 1980.
An earlier version had an incorrect number to report a fish kill. The
Sun regrets the error.
[Byline: Tim Wheeler
<
tim.wheeler@baltsun.com>]
--
Communicated by:
T J Allen
<
tjallen@pipeline.com>
[Water has frozen without resulting in fish kills before, unless of
course the water freezes all the way to the bottom of the water
source. However, this appears to be a cold water susceptible species,
and younger fish of that same species. Surely some of these will be
sent a diagnostic lab and additional reports will follow. - Mod.TG]
[The interactive HealthMap/ProMED map for Maryland is available at:
<
http://healthmap.org/r/012S> - CopyEd.EJP]
[see also:
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA: (AR), freshwater drum
20110104.0035
2010
----
Undiagnosed die off, fish - USA (15): (MS)
20100807.2694
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (14): (CA)
20100805.2640
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (13): (MN) catfish
20100804.2630
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (12): (MN) catfish
20100731.2573
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (11): (NC)
20100728.2532
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (10): (PA, ID) corr.
20100718.2410
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (09): (PA, ID) corr.
20100718.2409
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (08): (WA) natural causes
20100718.2408
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (07): (HI) puffer fish
20100716.2384
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA (06): (PA, ID)
20100716.2373
Undiagnosed fish die-off - USA (05): (MI) RFI
20100618.2056
Undiagnosed fish die-off - Canada: (ON)
20100613.1987
Undiagnosed fish die-off - USA (04): (WV, OH, PA) columnaris
20100610.1946
Undiagnosed fish die-off - USA (03): (WV, OH, PA)
20100601.1827
Undiagnosed fish die-off - USA (02): (NJ) koi herpesvirus susp.
20100528.1773
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - USA: (NY), viral hem. septicemia
susp.
20100519.1649
Undiagnosed die-off, fish - Kenya: (Lake Naivasha)
20100221.0592]
....................tg/ejp/mpp
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