/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/OA4QMMCCCFDOHP5V3OQ3HK66EI.jpg)
COLUMBIA, Ala. (WTVY) -Hundreds of fish are mysteriously dying in the Chattahoochee River, as state health officials dodge questions about possible human safety concerns.
Baffling to investigators is that only catfish are affected by the kill, most of them weighing a few pounds and discovered south of the Walter F. George Lock and Dam in Fort Gaines.
“We cannot figure out what in the world has happened,” said Bobby Clemmons, an avid fisherman who has spent his life on the river.
The fish kill also puzzles the Georgia Department of Natural Resources that became aware of the issue last week.
“While a specific cause for the fish mortality was not detected, it was determined that it was not caused by chemicals, low dissolved oxygen, or any disease/parasites.” GDNR spokesperson Melissa Cummings told News 4 on Wednesday.
Alabama officials agree that pesticides did not kill the fish, some of them discovered in Lake Eufaula that George Dam creates.
They have theories about what did.
“(It) can often be related to spawning stress or disease pathogens,” said Chris Green, Chief of Fisheries at Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.
Green and Cummings could not comment on whether it is safe to consume fish from the river and lake, referring those inquiries to health officials.
The Alabama Department of Public Health declined to comment on consumption concerns.
While perplexed about the large number of fish that have died, Georgia DNA officials believe this is an isolated incident.
“The issue seemed to be located to just this specific occurrence and is not ongoing,” Cummings said.
Bobby Clemmons told News 4 that the number of dead fish is rapidly declining, with buzzards eating some of the remains, as others float south to the Gulf of Mexico.
Copyright 2022 WTVY. All rights reserved.
Subscribe to our News 4 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning. Get instant notifications on top stories from News 4 by downloading our mobile apps.
"fish" - Google News
April 28, 2022 at 06:17PM
https://ift.tt/oxGh26Y
Fish mysteriously dying in Chattahoochee River - WSFA
"fish" - Google News
https://ift.tt/KnOeIlJ
https://ift.tt/BNV3A05
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Fish mysteriously dying in Chattahoochee River - WSFA"
Post a Comment