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Ontario Ministry of Environment
These fish are among the tens of thousands found dead on 25 miles of Lake Erie beaches in Canada's Ontario Province.
Tens of thousands of dead fish that washed up on Lake Erie beaches in Ontario, Canada -- and had locals wondering if something or someone had poisoned the water -- were likely killed by a lack of oxygen caused when lake sediment was stirred up, the province reported Friday.
Water samples "do not show evidence of a manure spill or anything unusual in terms of contaminants," Ministry of Environment spokeswoman Kate Jordan told NBC News.
Jordan said it wasn't known if the die-off was unprecedented, but that "it was a significant number -- tens of thousands."
The fish were found along 25 miles of beach, with locals first coming across them on Monday.
But three days earlier, residents had complained of a manure-like smell from the water, the Chatham Daily News reported.
"It was rank, so profoundly rank, that it was difficult to stay down there and the next morning we woke up to the smell," Neville Knowles said of his family's weekend trip to Rondeau Provincial Park.
Another park visitor, Frank van den Boorn, said he and his family were at the beach when he noticed the darkened water and smelled something wrong.
"I said to the kids 'We've got to get out of here, there is something wrong with the water'," Van den Boorn recalled. "I scooped up a handful of water and ... you could still smell the body stench on it."
"I just couldn't believe people were letting their kids swim in it," he added.
Jordan said the smell and darkened water were consistent with the natural phenomenon known as "lake inversion" -- where a change in wind can kick up waves that stir up sediment and reduce the oxygen levels for fish.
The wind did change directions last week, she noted, and a local water temperature gauge showed colder water, suggesting it had been churned up from the depths.
The province is also testing some of the dead fish and those results should provide conclusive evidence, Jordan said. The results should be ready next week.
The dead fish included catfish, carp and perch.
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Leave a Comment:
The Welfare food rush is on!
In Canada? Reading comprehension, it's a b!tch.
Moron.... PERIOD....
I quess we know where the DNC dumped all their manure at now.
jerry-889595, WOW, Seriously? You were dropped on your head repeatedly as a child, it's that obvious.
Oh no, it must be the bp oil spill, or global warming - nah has to be bush's fault!
When I read the headline of this article I thought...oh boy, what have the Republicans done this time?
Oh darn!
Regardless of the cause, this just means Barrack Hussein has another excuse for his never-ending failed policies.
I'm sure the limp-wristed Libbies will find a way to blame this on the Republicans. Even though it is in Canada.
ROMNEY/RYAN 2012 for real Americans
Ah, your old man's limp-wristed.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012 to annoy conservatives
I believe it is a sign of under-water earthquake, and then a sunami. Remember the fish and the birds found dead in California before the earthquake hit Japan? It is also known for the water to smell like sulfur before a major under-water earthquake.
The first 8 million times you Right and Left whiners cried, it was funny, now you are just attention whores.
Jerry's comments are laughable and absurd to dah max. I think he needs to wear a hat more often in that AZ Sun! AZ home of Gila Monsters, Sidewinders (aka McCain), Snowbirds, and a Nazi Sheriff who makes prisoners sleep outside in tents for smoking MJ!
Just Nature getting rid of the problematic Carp, now whats next on the list of creatures to get rid of?
don't worry you can't eat them anyways there all contaminated.
Don't blame the wind change on me my fan was facing the other direction.
maybe it was all the lemmings following one leader forward, off the cliff and into the lake that turned the water that killed the fish, now they can rebuild the lake from the bottom up.
"Just Nature getting rid of the problematic Carp,"
Thanks , no worries , back to the American dream zzzzzzzzzzzz
Those fish in the picture look like Smallmouth Bass almost, THAT would be a shame.. Carp and Catfish....who the hell cares.
Obama/Biden 2012
I was wondering how long it would take some assclown to bring Obama into this. "Barrack Hussein"? Really?? Do us all a favor please. Just shut the f*ck up. You added absolutely NOTHING to the article except to show us that 5 year olds like yourself have computer access.
Ha Ha Jerry:
It was first noticed on Monday, so it must have been week old RNC manure. Full of rich food and spat out middle class, I would imagine. Seriously, it's amazing the angles people take to turn a story to politics.
keye, just read the article. It explains the reason for it which is not an unusual, altrough rare, occurrance.
Keep polluting humans are dumber than toads, to bad we are destroying their world
Yes because humans caused the wind to change, which caused the fish to die.
Well some of us are and you pretty much top it lol
John Doe...too many people using fans caused the wind to change direction which was an effect of global warming...They needed the fans to stay cool. So yes it is humans fault.
Actually those are what are called sheepsheads on our north shore which is a trash fish and not worth eating.
Good grief. Turnover happens in lots of bodies of water. Humans don't cause it. The change of seasons does. Every year. Not global warming, not pollution, not Bush or Obama.
Every fisherman who frequents ponds and lakes knows that when the lake turns over, it stinks, the water gets filthy, and the fish get sick. Ho hum.
Carp sucks the lake is better of without the damn things, they don't belong there anyways. they should net them all out and sell them to the Chinese they will eat anything, especially if you call it a delicacy. but then to them everything is a delicacy.
I agree with breadex that the fish in the picture sure do look like sheepsheads to me as well. They are very well known as being susceptible to kill offs in low oxygen situations. If other fish died as well, they don't appear to be in this section of the kill off.
Aww don't try to use facts here guys. You'll confuse the assclowns who want to vomit out some form of retarded political rhetoric. There could be heavy sunspot activity one week and some retard will find a way to make it about Bush or Obama in some pathetic attempt to seem witty and clever. Lately I find myself coming to Newsvine for the entertainment value, not for social discourse. Some people try so hard that all you can do is sit back and laugh at them.
Dang 'ol Canadians! It's their fault!... Polluting everything... Obama, Romney, gobal warming all Canadian issues!
mitt release your tax returns.
wait, what?!
Really? This is why I will not vote for either party.
And this is political because??? Where do you people come from???
Thank you, Todd.
sorry 'kelly' even "mitt's" tax returns can't compete with epic fail Obama...good try though.
That comment is worthy of a page about Dead Fish. Romney did release all that the law requires so get over it. I bet you it is the Harvard (law school)Cheater Scandle that goes back to 1990 and before that is the reason Obama* refuses to release his transcripts and disclose the real reason that he was disbarred. Jimmy Carter is too nice of a man to sue Obama* for plagerizing his speech.
When the muck on the bottom is stirred up, it can smell like decaying plants and other decaying organic material like fish. I hope that this also killed off Billions of Zebra Mussles, Gobies, and other invasive species too. So far it is Bottom Feeders that are washing up and Walleyes do follow the baitfish into whatever depth they are at. Smelt and alewives are mostly mid depth feeders.
I would definately keep the kids out of the water.
How are Mitt Romney's tax returns going to bring the fish back to life?
Iamnotyou. Hello sir. Neither Barrack nor Michelle are disbarred. Thank you for listening.
Republirats love to make up S**T as they go! That's becuz their iconic heroes like Hannity, O'Really, Limburger, and that other imbecile do that all of the time on Faux News. Gullible, ignorant, stupid, lazy, fat, overfed cows like Gov. Christie and Limbaugh set the new low standard for pandering and changing the facts like a bunch of cheaters who change the rules in Monopoly when they lose! Spoiled rotten losers who are sore cause OBAMA has more intelligence in his little finger than all of those booze hounds put together.
Here is a thought most people avoid the political places because of the crap being spewed by both sides and like me find some other place to drop a comment or two. Now its the same old song that started way back when Obam and mcCain got nominated and has not stopped since. moderators of these forums should kick clowns offof here who do not comment on the story and instead think that by their stupid comments they are somehow going to change an intellegent persons mind on who to vote for and the only person who would be stupid enough to do that is stupider than they are.
Jeez, Doc. Hate much? Chill out. The article is about dead fish, not Obama's intelligence...although I can see how you might confuse the two.
Somebody bring back Tina Fey and her Sarah Palin skits. At least that was entertaining....
Romney should release his tax returns only when your false messiah, The Idiot Obama releases his college transcripts, and not one second sooner. Which will never happen because it would expose the truth about the Idiot Obama - that he is nothing more than an inept, incompetent liar and a world-class fraud.
Look, I'm no fan of the President, but Obama won't release his transcripts and it has nothing to do with his grades. While I believe firmly that he was born in Hawaii (b/c I trust the Great State of Hawaii), when he was in his teens he lied and said he was a foreign student from Indonesia in order to gain easier entrance into his colleges after Occidental. His bio blurb on some of his writings in college even says he was born in Kenya. He lied about his birth then and he doesn't want to admit his fraud now (the fraud being that he was born in the US and lied and said he was born internationally). And he hasnt been disbarred, Michelle and Barack both stopped paying fees and getting continuing ed credits so they let their licenses lapse. They could go back to the legal profession again if they put in some time to get their license renewed. If you're going to rail against the man there are plenty of legitimate reasons and policy decisions made while he was President to do so, don't go looking for rumors and such.
Human brains need oxygen, not pollution.
One of the known characteristics of this one pristine source of fresh water is its occasional low oxygen levels causes as the low volume lake heats up readily. Historically the main fish as lake trout, the trout would evacuate to the many slow flowing streams and rivers to summer over. The streams remained cool because they were kept flowing by drainage slowed by the heavily forested lands. This was the main reason that there (trout) fish in the lake period, when the settlers cleared these massive forests, the rivers and streams with reduced flow and heated killing the lake trout. It has been one thing after another, were the actions of man conflicted with the delegate balance of nature. I doubt whether there is another body of fresh water that has had so many transitions forced on it, and has had so very little natural protection. It not the lake that is at fault!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Erie#Eutrophication_and_the_infamous_dead_zone
Eutrophication and the infamous dead zone
Interesting.
But yet not.
Lake Erie is not the only lake this is happening in either... It's also effecting smaller inland lakes... Last year in Ohio Lake Milton, a recreational lake, was "closed" because of the algae blooms and people were advised to stay out of the lake...
Hey good news. I live in Toledo which is ironically on the western side of Lake Erie and I live within two miles of the Maumee River. I should probably go dump my weekly waste in it soon, have to keep up the pollution. It is a shame what we have done to the Maumee River and Lake Erie.
I have a serious question, so please refrain from guessing.
Why were other species of fishes not killed? It seems like the scavenger types would be the hardiest.
@Lee - Fish not mentioned but in Lake Erie; Walleye, Bass, Bluegill, Sunfish, Sturgeon
The lack of oxygen in our oceans is the adverse side effects of the global warming, such as ice melting which may cause desalting process that may deoxygenate water in which sea animals need oxygen.
Ice melting may also creat new current.
Please!!!!
Lake Erie isn't an ocean, but good try.
The great lakes are fresh water lakes...
And a long way from the ocean depending on which lake you are at....
The oceans have plenty of spots that are low on oxygen. They are not anywhere near where ice would be either. The equatorial part of the oceans are very low in oxygen, not the areas where glaciers melt. Glacial runoff areas have a high oxygen and mineral content, and that's why the water is green.
Time to get a clue...
And, Lake Erie is the smallest and most shallow, about 62 feet deep, than the other Great Lakes. This kind of thing isn't too far out of the ordinary.
REMEMBER the Republican party believes in Akin science not real science-creation not evolution- they laugh- we patriotic Americans have to work with Canada as well as the rest of the world on global erosionand warming
hey dildo; it was a natural occurance.... an inconvenient truth if you will~!
What?
Try to tell china to cut down on their toxic emissions. They will laugh at you..in chinese. India, south america and other areas are causing more pollution than the us is.
Actually, only China produces more pollution than the US. They passed us in 2007.
i dont care about global warming,i think liberals should have been aborted,think obame and his puppit biden are idiots and i truely think what ever happens to america they deserve for being dumb and electing obame and that a— — Mhole biden and allowing garbage liberals get away with what they get away with,so screw global warming,screw liberals and obame and loud mouth biden could match george bush on a bad day for george bush other wise i have no respect for liberals they are garbage and obame should be impeached
Someone at the EPA needs to held accountable. What are they doing over there? They were put into power to prevent this from happening.\
Little fishees are dead because someone at the EPA dropped the ball.
Lake inversion, happens every year. Some years we can smell the stink from here which is 45 miles inland.
Makes me wonder why the three fish listed in the article died off due to low oxygen levels. These fish are found on the bottom of lakes usually where there is less oxygen.
I wondering if the Canadian and U.S Fish and Wild Life didn't have something to do with it. Maybe the recent finding of "Asian Carp" in the area!
I think it had to do with the fact that the wind current changed. It kicked up alot of sediment from the bottom making what little oxygen was there gone.
someone is up to no good....
I hope an entrapeneur scooped the fish up, and made fertilizer out of them at least!
Fish are not used to sediment or waves in fact they just learned to swim about 500 years ago and then breath underwater about 300 years ago.
Ur kidding? Fish learned to swimm 500 years ago? So for millions of years, they just flopped around on the bottom of lakes and oceans? Really? Or are you a really, really young earth creationist, claiming the earth is only 500 years old? I personally can only verify the earth is about 35 years old, before then, I can't remember a thing.
Abraham was obviously trolling, and you fell for it.
hubba, yeah, my response was a bit jokey too. Sorry u missed the humor.
Actuallly "some" fish learned to swim during that period, i.e., those born during that period. You must be a politically spin-master.
We really need to pay attention to this.
Why? It happens every year. Just no "greenies" to bring it to our attention. Ahhhhhhhh the electronic age.
It wouldn't be a news story if that many fish died every year.
The government wants to control the world food supply. Since the government can not control the fish in the wild the government will kill off the wild population of food such as fish.
Another moron... Read, and comprehend... It's nature.... @!$%# happens.. Man had nothing to do with this...
um Jeffrey .... your tin foil hat is crooked .... needs to be straightened
There's something "FISHY" going on here.... Someone should've collected a sample? duh....
They did. Analysis pending.
Vote for Romney and you will see 1000 times this stuff.
Romney/Ryan Killing the Planet for Profit...One lake at a time.
Really a moron... Politics has nothing to do with this... And I'm not a Republican...
Those fish will be casting votes for bozo--
Cheatin' dems!
Money, so your saying Obama is responsible for the daed fish?
Another moron... I can do this all night...
I like you James :P Keep it up
.... like Pat Paulson once said... yeah, they have a little odor to them , but, it will cook out of em ...... community fish fry tonight folks !
I lived in Cranesville, PA years ago.This happened about once a year then.The other thing that I remember is Cleveland,Ohio's sewage plant breaking down and we would find human waste floating in the lake,the fish did not like that,either.Erie is a shallow lake as the article stated,doesn't take much to stir it up,one can smell the bottom mud when that happens,then come the dead fish,then the birds feeding off the fish.
Shhhhhhh! The greenies don't want to know that it is a natural and recurring event.
Well. I guess it is about time for another bird-kill-off headline. Wait for it....wait for it.
HA!..Yea "sediment"...This kind of crap used to happen where I grew up with the Rhode Island mob dumping barrels of chemicals in the bay. Whenever someone would complain of the smell or see hundreds of dead horseshoe crabs belly up on the beach the guy running the local EPA would say it was water temperature or sediment. It wasn't until everyone could see this rainbow oil slick from a helicopter that we discovered this EPA manager was taking bribes from the mob in exchange for covering up miles of dumping they were doing from boats off shore to avoid having to pay legal dumping fees on land..
Sediment...That's a good one!
Anyone else feel like there is a certain amount of ambiguity with this new story. Kinda like you don't need to know because we don't know?
Awwww! Poor little fishies! Thats alot of dead fish! What a waste! Its just horrible! But nature does her own thing!
You environmental numbskulls who are spouting your pseudoscience do not understand Lake Erie.
It is the shallowest Great Lake and storms can generate 50 foot waves easily. All this wave action stirs up the lake bottom and puts lots of sediment into the water which clogs the gills of the fish.
It must have been a slow news day at MSLSD to put this article up on the webpage, because this kind of thing happens frequently. Lake sediment is a naturally occuring geological event and has little to do with power boats, lake freighters or people sh*tting in the lake while swimming or fishing or boating. It is a natural occurrence due to the shallowness of the lake and has nothing to do with pollutants or "Global Warming".
Last, George Bush did not cause Lake Erie to be shallow. The Republicans did not cause it either, although I am willing to bet that Joe Biden is hard at work looking for a way to blame Paul Ryan for this event.
That many fish don't die every year.
What is about anti-environment retards that think every disaster is a joke? I take it none of you give a @!$%# about this planet after you die. No children?
Can bears eat them?
They suffocated from lack of oxygen more than likely no different than taking them out of the water. So if this is the case yes, a bear could eat them, they're not poison.
.... fish are like people,,,, the smart ones moved on ..... the dumb ones ? belly up on the beach....... the fish that moved on.... well, they are Democrat fish ..... the dead dumb ones ? You guessed it.... tea tard fish
The Tea Party Republican fish died from exhaustion after supporting all of the Democrate fish for years. The Democrate fish will be belly up in a few days having nobody left to support them.
Your comment, Miss Cricket, seems to indicate that you believe Democrats are supported by Republicans ...well, "I'll be you $10,000" (does that sound familiar) that we as Americans pay far more in corporate welfare than is paid to all Americans on welfare and many being supported are white conservatives. Our business centers in the North East and the West Coast (democratic states) essentially "carry" many of the red Republican states.
If we had had a Tea Party when the constitution was being drawn up we still would not have a constitution because you tea baggers don't compromise. You are school yard bullies in Washington. The tea party is responsible for our credit rating being lowered and are dragging our country down because you are causing gridlock in the government which destabilizes our finances.
I wouldn't eat any fish from Lake Erie anytime soon. I'll just keep eating the ones sold at the supermarkets. You know the ones contaminated with Mercury.