Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Have You Ever Heard Of So Many Dead Fish?

Are things really going quite seriously wrong somewhere?

The 31st December 2010 saw a loss of over 5000 redwing blackbirds inside the town limits of Beebe Arkansas -then the evening of the 3rd saw a fall of blackbirds into the yard of a house in Gilberstville, Kentucky (which mirrored exactly a bird fall into a garden in England, March 2009), the 4th of January saw the loss of a further 500 redwings in Point Coupee, Louisiana and the following day 200 grey coots were found dead on a bridge along Highway 155 near Lake O' The Pines, Texas.

One incident doesn't stir me, it's not even going to get me away from the sports pages. But two incidents? Of the same bird, with the same injuries, with more deaths occurring almost daily? It's time to hit the research button.

Whilst seeking information for my previous articles about the death of birds across the U.S. and Europe, I've come across equally alarming stories from the fish world. Here is a brief precis of what has happened:

Brazil, 30th December 2010

Over 85 tons of fish of all species were found on the banks of the Lagoa Rodrigo de Frietas in the heart of Rio de Janeiro's Zona Sul, and adjacent to one of Rio's most exclusive neighborhoods, Ipanema and Leblon. Cause of death? Speculatively down to 'an overnight bloom' of algae that robbed the lake of its oxygen.

Arkansas, United States, January 3rd 2011

100,000 fish were found washed up dead on the banks of the Arkansas River by a tug boat operator. The dead fish stretched along nearly 20 miles of riverbank near the city of Ozark. The fact that approximately 95% of the fish were Drum fish (bottom feeders not highly prized by fishermen) has led local experts to point to disease amongst the species rather than the pollutants suspected by local residents. But the experts would say that wouldn't they?

Canada, January 4th 2011

Hundreds of dead Gizzard Shad fish were washed up on the shore at the north end of the St Clair River, close by the town of Sarnia, Ontario. Officials of the Ministry of Natural Resources are putting the mass die-off down to a one off natural event due to rises and falls in temperature. Rises and falls in temperature? C'mon, it's Canada in the winter!

Maryland, United States, January 5th 2011

An estimated 2 million juvenile Spotfish washed up dead on the sands of Chesapeake Bay. The first reports of dead fish came from Calvert County, near to the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Plant (no worries there then), and rapidly spread along the bay to Annapolis, Sandy Point State Park, Poplar Island, the Honga River, and finally Dorchester County/Tangier Sound.

Cause of death is currently awaiting toxicology tests, but is believed to be from 'temperature change'.

England January 5th 2011

What was described as a 'deadly tide of crab corpses' were washed up along the coast, close by the Isle of Thanet. The velvet swimming crabs, known locally as devil crabs, are thought to be victims of a cold front that lowered the sea temperature. Which in anyone else's words would be - temperature change.

Over 40,000 crabs were washed ashore in the first event of its kind ever recorded in the U.K.

New Zealand, January 5th

Beachgoers at Little Bay and Waikaku Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula came across hundreds of Snappers dead on the tide line, on looking out to sea they saw many other dead fish being washed ashore. A group of boaters and surfers who were interviewed by the local press spoke of a 'carpet of dead Snappers' still out at sea.

One official put down the deaths to the fish starving because of,- wait for it - temperature changes. This was dismissed out of hand by local fishermen, who have noticed no change in conditions.

So what do you think? Mother Nature working her cruel magic, or something a tad more sinister?

Watch the Skies everyone, Watch the Skies.

Jeff is a keen researcher of the strange, mysterious and odd. To his knowledge he has never been abducted by aliens, nor has he ever seen Sasquatch in his headlights. But has seen some other pretty weird stuff though. There's enough mystery going on out there for all of us. We just have to look for it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Pearson

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