UpdatedThu, Apr 8, 2021 at 9:33 am ET
Replies(7)
The cause of hundreds of dead fish in Monmouth County can be traced to an “undetermined species of bacteria in the water, officials said. (Google Maps)
RED BANK, NJ - The cause for hundreds of dead fish washing ashore in Monmouth County in recent weeks can be traced to an undetermined species of bacteria, state environmental authorities said Wednesday.
Since last week, hundreds of dead menhaden - otherwise known as mossbunker - have been spotted floating in the Raritan Bay and Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers, with similar instances occurring in New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island as of last autumn. State environmental authorities like the New Jersey Department of Environmental Prosecution are currently working to identify a bacteria known as Vibrio that seems to be the likely culprit.
Here is what officials think caused mass die-off of fish that washed up on Staten Island
silive.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from silive.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
NJ blames bacteria for dead fish in rivers, bays since fall
nownews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nownews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The group said it is particularly concerning that Vibrio is suspected in the cold-weather deaths, as the bacteria is usually more prevalent when the water is warmer, and voiced concern that similar die-offs could occur if water temperatures increase.
Larry Hajna, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, said his agency is “actively investigating” die-offs of menhaden in recent months.
The state “has preliminarily identified an undetermined species of bacteria in the Vibrio family of bacteria as the cause of the mortalities,” he said. “More laboratory work is being done to determine the specific species of bacteria.”