[Mike]

Dead fish in Massachusetts
State: Lack Of Oxygen Killed Thousands Of Fish
Harbormaster Confirms Dead Fish Floating Ashore In Fairhaven
POSTED: 10:36 am EDT August 9, 2010
UPDATED: 5:31 pm EDT August 9, 2010

BOSTON — State marine biologists said an apparent lack of oxygen killed thousands of fish that were washing up on shore in Fairhaven Monday.

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries was investigating and the scientists determined that the fish were killed by “a lack of dissolved oxygen in the estuary,” from which they came.

State: Lack Of Oxygen Killed Thousands Of Fish

The only species of fish that were killed were Menhaden, which commonly expire in hot weather and enclosed embayments, said Lisa Capone of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

Residents of the area said they awoke to find scores of dead fish washing onto the west side of an island where they have a vacation home.

The island extends into Buzzard’s Bay on the east side of Fairhaven and is connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway.

“It’s really creepy. It’s a small island,” said Eric Borgeson, a father of four who’s been vacation there his entire life.

“The whole beach is coated. It’s nasty,” he said.

Borgeson said there were no fish anywhere on Sunday, but he awoke at 4:30 a.m. Monday and “noticed the smell,” first thing.

He said he’s worried about what’s causing the fish to die in the waters where his children normally swim and play.

Borgeson said the only thing he’s ever seen there that was worse was when an oil tanker spilled in Buzzard’s Bay several years ago.

Source: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/24563684/detail.html