Alberni Inlet Fish Kill

[IronNoggin]

http://video.cheknews.ca/services/player/bcpid1011606683001?bckey=AQ~~%2CAAAA4mHNTzE~%2Cejl zBnGUUKY1gXVPwEwEepl35Y795rND&bclid=975107450001&bctid=1762611081001

Apologies about the ad, couldn't find a way to post it without...

Rather strange occurrence! Herring and mackerel rolling up on the beaches here http://fishbcforum.com/public/style_emoticons/default/huh.gif

And What's With: "DFO cannot give an answer because their biologist is working on another project." :roll:

Weird!!
Nog

[thehammer]

Hopefully it's not the Salmon next. You would think this would be a high priority for DFO.

[303Brit]

Typical DFO, I guess it's better to not be reach then be the expert that has no clue what is going on ;)
That is a pretty significant fish kill though

303

[Spy]

Have the DFO not just laid off all there Scientists ? Hate to say it but this is Par for the course!

[steel_ram]

Too much fresh water for mackeral, as predicted.

[IronNoggin]

Too much fresh water for mackeral, as predicted.

Herring and Pilchards too?? Dunno...

[Onesock]

Maybe they are the bi-catch of the 60 gillnetters that have been beating the shit out of the sockeye in the inlet! Oh and maybe the 20 or so seiners may have dumped them.

[Merch]

I know the shellfish farmers in the area were having trouble with red tide recently. A large algae bloom can cause a decrease in the oxygen levels which would go hand in hand with the fish swimming at the surface gulping for air. That's my guess anyways.

[spreerider]

they are all mackerel i have yet to see any other fish, and the news clip said last year Nanaimo had a herring dieoff not Alberni. Algae blooms could also be the cause but then you would also see larger fish dying as well not just one species.

[IronNoggin]

they are all mackerel i have yet to see any other fish, and the news clip said last year Nanaimo had a herring die off not Alberni.

Go have a stroll along the beach at China Creek. There are herring and Pilchards in the mix, not simply all mackerel (in which case your assessment would have made more sense.)

Doubtful on a bloom - would likely effect more and larger species.

Possibilities:
The main river and all feeder creeks have been running very HIGH this summer, introducing a lot of fresh water into the Inlet.
The water in the Inlet itself is quite warm - perhaps up to tolerance for the species effected, or perhaps reducing amount of available oxygen.
Discarded bycatch from the bag fleet as noted.

Still Wondering...
Nog

[spreerider]

mackerel are warmer water fish so i doubt the temp is affecting them that much, it could be a bloom as many zoo plankton release toxins in the water and larger fish are able to withstand the toxins more than smaller ones, also most larger fish are willling to dive into deeper water while herring and mackerel tend to stick to the shallow waters.

[Ozone]

One of the 7 signs of the Apocalypse?

[shebebeast]

That's bullshit, cause this happened the year before last with the mackerel in the inlet. I've heard it's been happening for years. It's definitely not a random one time occurrence just this Summer.

Bloody mackerels swimming up here, clogging up the inlet, gobbling up the salmon fry, then dying with full bellies.

[Jim Prawn]

Ive seen it in KNight Inlet about 10 years ago with pilchirds. Always assumed it was due to high fresh water run off from the snow pack during warm weather. On a calm day could see hundreds of dead pilchards on the surface all across the inlet. Many salt water species are not very fresh water tolerant.
JP

[The Dude]

Probably related to the shock of swimming by all those fish farms. :D

.....annnnndddddd GO!

[spreerider]

only one fish farm in alberni inlet and it is fallow right now or at least was last time i looked.

[Spy]

only one fish farm in alberni inlet and it is fallow right now or at least was last time i looked.
I'm sure there is still remenace of Decease ! Dam fish farms!

[Ozone]

:D

.....annnnndddddd GO!

Hmmm, I thought you would have been banned by now.........oh wait, you have been :roll:

Bazinga

[The Dude]

LOL.....there you are.
I thought you might show up! :D
Giggety giggety goo.

[steel_ram]

Grandma was seen rinsing out Grandpa's shorts on the beach at Mctush last weekend. Maybe(?)

[Ozone]

Wouldnt those be crabs?

[ufishifish2]

Caused by radiation in the water from the Japanese Tsunami.
You heard it first here!!!!

[The Dude]

Ah, does this mean we're gonna get Sea Lice the size of Horseshoe Crabs????
Arrghhhhh...... Where's Professor Frink when you need him?

[Ioneth]

DFO is to busy pulling over people going to or leaving rez's and asking them "what's your business on the rez today" to investigate the problem

[dryflyguy57]

Maybe they are the bi-catch of the 60 gillnetters that have been beating the shit out of the sockeye in the inlet! Oh and maybe the 20 or so seiners may have dumped them.
Brilliant !