Millions of dead fish at King Harbor in Redondo Beach [Updated]

 

Authorities in Redondo Beach are investigating what killed millions of fish over the last day at King Harbor Marina.

Fish, including anchovies, sardines and mackerel were floating lifeless in Basins 1 and 2 of the north side of King Harbor Marina.

"There’s basically fish everywhere you go in the harbor," said the harbor's assistant manager, Jason McMullin, who added that there were reports that a red tide may have driven the fish into the harbor in massive numbers where they died because of limited oxygen.

Redondo Beach public works officials were dispatched to the harbor to investigate further but did not have immediate comment.

The fish were attracting huge flocks of seagulls and other birds.

[Updated at 12:15 p.m.: Redondo Beach officials said initial assessments suggest oxygen depletion in the King Harbor basins caused the massive fish die-off.

City Manager Bill Workman said city officials with the help of marine experts would help determine if there was any environmental issue involved. Tests are now being performed on the water as officials begin removing the dead fish, which city officials estimated to be in the millions.

“There are no visible signs of any toxins that might have caused [the die-off] and our early assessment is that this was oxygen depletion,” Workman said. “This is similar to what we experienced five years ago but that was distinctly a red tide event but there’s no discoloration of the water, no associated foaming in the waves, Workman said. “There are no oil slicks or leaking of substances into the water.”

Workman noted that the harbor had been teeming in recent weeks with bait fish that even after their deaths “had no signs of degradation.”]

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Photo: Dead fish float inside King Harbor. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times; Second and third images: KTLA News.

Comments

[Tom]

It's GOT to be global warming! First birds falling dead from the sky, and now fish dropping dead by the millions in the ocean. Man is to blame for all of this by destroying the environment and creating global warming. There is no other possible explanation. Just ask Al Gore - the debate is over!

[Centerna Health]

Can these fish be eaten? What does one do with millions of dead fish?

[Micheal Jeske]

Crazy!

[Steve Crisp]

Mine. Mine. MINE...MINE...minemineminemine...MINE

[Larry Pate]

Oh, my God! Right here in Redondo! This is so hard to believe!

[Warren]

these large scale death of birds and fishes are happening more and more. After the birds in AK that fell out of the sky I saw a report that said these things happen all the time however, there are in places where we can't see it. Well, now its in our face. Is the end of the world near?

[Sk00L]

Must be fireworks that scared them to commit suicide...

[kraftwerk]

I thought this only happens at the Salton Sea!

[eldukeNY]

The birds death can be blamed on "CHEMTRAILS" google it

The fish death can be blamed on BP!

[Patdog]

Free bait!

[Patdog]

Free bait!

[Cosmo Kramer]

Red tide kills only anchovies?? I bet it's one of the ddt stockpiles that was dumped off of PV that caused this die off. The authorities just wont say that that's what it was.

[jojo]

Revelation 16
16:3
And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living thing died in the sea.

[Ginger]

Maybe, just maybe, one should investigate what kind of huge international vessels are allowed to pass through the channel? You have one of the nicest marine areas, a jewel in the world. You should better protect it and attract more marine tourists who do not wish to see dead fish! How about your dolphins and whales, they must be equally affected.

A concerned fan of the beauty of the Pacific, Catalina and Redondo beach!

Ginger

[Gabe]

Give them to gardeners and turn them into compost.

[Cheryl]

Gross? Yes. Sad? Yes. Sky is falling? No. An expert weighs in:

Staci Gabrielli, marine coordinator for King Harbor Marina in Redondo Beach, says boaters awakened Tuesday to find the anchovy-size silvery fish surrounding their vessels.

Gabrielli says it's believed the fish moved into the harbor late Monday or early Tuesday to escape a red tide, a naturally occurring bloom of toxic algae that can poison fish or starve them of oxygen.

Gabrielli says high winds apparently kept the fish from leaving the harbor and they all crushed up against the harbor wall, where they used up the oxygen and suffocated.

from:
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_17565364?source=rss

[Bob Owens]

"What does one do with millions of dead fish? "

Send them to Chicago and have them vote for Rahm.

[WorriedAboutThisWorld]

Solar Flares....very powerful stuff.

[Steven M.]

Centerna Health asked, "Can these fish be eaten? What does one do with millions of dead fish?"

The seagulls are eating really well and so are the "bottom feeders." The dead fish can be netted and taken to a factory to be turned into fertilizer or mixed with organics to create a robust compost.

[Jay]

Time to make some fertilizer.

[Joe]

Today's dead fish is fertilizer for tomorrow's tomatoes.

[Matt]

SHARKS!

[sillyhead]

Maybe the dead fish fell out of the sky.

[Lc48b1]

The plagues of Egypt . California better get itself together.

[Zonker]

Sounds more like somebody capsized a bait barge.