Thousands of dead fish wash up on beach on Texas gulf coast
Thousands of dead fish washed up on a Texas gulf coast beach last week, startling beach-goers and leaving the shore blanketed with putrid carcasses. Photos of the horrific scene were widely shared on social media, highlighting the magnitude of the fish kill at Bryan Beach near the mouth of the Brazos River. Officials from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Kills and Spills Team and park officials confirmed that the event was “caused by a low dissolved oxygen event,”shocking the local community.
What caused the mass fish kill?
According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Kills and Spills Team and park officials, the mass fish kill was caused by a low dissolved oxygen event, sparked by warm water, which cannot hold as much oxygen as cold water. The water temperature of above 70 degrees Fahrenheit caused a lack of oxygen which made it hard for menhaden to survive. Shallow waters warm up more quickly than deeper ones, so if a school of Menhaden fish are trapped in the shallows as the water begins to warm up, the fish will start to suffer from hypoxia.
Are mass fish kills common in summer?
Yes, fish kills like this are common in the summer when water temperatures increase. According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Kills and Spills Team, recent conditions of cloudy skies and calm seas created a “perfect storm to deplete the oxygen.”
Can fish deaths be observed early on?
Before a kill event occurs, fish can be seen trying to get oxygen by gulping at the surface of the water early in the morning, according to park officials. Some fish may also be lying on the bottom or at the edge of the water.
What is the cleanup process for dead fish?
Park crews were at the beach Saturday and Sunday removing the putrid remains with machines. Any dead fish left behind will likely be naturally buried in the sand and ocean over the coming days, according to officials.
The dead fish have been mostly removed from the beach, but officials warned that more dead fish may wash up on the shore in the coming days. The park officials have advised beach-goers to be cautious of their surroundings and follow safety protocols while visiting the beaches.
Beach on Texas Gulf Coast inundated with dead fish in the thousands
A shocking sight of thousands of dead Menhaden fish washed up on Bryan Beach near the mouth of the Brazos River, a few miles down the coast from Quintana Beach County Park in Brazoria County, Texas, was witnessed by locals this week. According to local officials, the mass kill was caused by a low dissolved oxygen event, which occurred due to warm water that cannot hold as much oxygen as cold water. The Kills and Spills Team of Texas Parks & Wildlife and park officials issued a statement saying that when water temperature rises above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, it becomes hard for menhaden to receive enough oxygen to survive. Shallow waters warm more quickly than deeper waters, so if a school of menhaden are trapped in the shallows as the water begins to heat, the fish will start to suffer from hypoxia. Fish kills like this are common in the summer when temperatures increase, according to the Kills and Spills Team. Officials said recent conditions of cloudy skies and calm seas created a “perfect storm to deplete the oxygen.” Most of the fish had been removed from the beach by Sunday, and any dead fish left behind will likely be naturally buried in the sand and ocean over the coming days.