Millions of Dead Fish Found at Redondo Beach Harbor [Pictures & Video]

While marine biologists are working to explain the millions of fish that washed up dead in the Los Angeles area at the King Harbor Basins on Tuesday, Redondo Beach officials are already stating that initial assessments suggest oxygen depletion is the cause of the massive amount of dead fish.

According to the Los Angeles Times:

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.”

Although he said it did not appear that the die-off was due to a red tide, the city diverted all of its city crews to the harbor to help with the response to the fish kill by bringing in dumpsters and nets.

“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.

It maybe weeks or months before researchers discover the cause of this massive fish death. King Harbor is quite large, so the lack of oxygen is questionable if not debatable.

But just like all the other mass fish and animal deaths happening around the world, officials are quick with an answer and slow on providing proof from research.

Read More: Los Angeles Times

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All Photo Credits:  seadigs via Flickr

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