Fish die-off alarms lakeside residents, but DNR biologist says numbers typical

[GLF]

Jasper Moceri's canal home in Harrison Township has a view of one of the best fishing holes on Lake St. Clair, but the sight of hundreds of dead and dying fish at his dock has Moceri convinced it's more than just a winter fish kill.

"I've been here 11 years and I've never seen anything like it," Moceri said Thursday. "There's every species possible out there: dead. Something happened."

The thousands of fish that are popping up dead in canals along Lake St. Clair in Harrison Township, Chesterfield Township and St. Clair Shores is a result of winter stress and fluctuating temperatures, a biologist with the Department of Natural Resources said Thursday.

Mike Thomas, a fish research biologist in the Lake St. Clair Fish Research Station, said the dead fish are typically canal species such as bluegill, sunfish, largemouth bass, crappies, perch, carp and bowfin.

"They're dead or dying in canals down south of Metro Beach Metropark and in some canals off of South River Road," Thomas said. "Some fish have been dead for a couple weeks, some died more recently, and some are freshly dead or dying. That tells you this was not a one-time event."

Thomas said a combination of "winter stress" on fish coupled with "fluctuating lake temperatures" often result in the death of thousands of fish each spring.

"This type of situation looks like a typical spring die off around canals and coastline of Lake St. Clair this time of year, much like we see in inland lakes," Thomas said. "We attribute it to water temperature changes. It may be 30 degrees at night, but 65 degrees by day; and the water temperatures fluctuate more in the shallower canals."

Thomas joined Doug Martz of the Macomb County Water Quality Board on Thursday for a tour of dead fish-infested canals from Metro Beach to the Clinton River Spillway.

"I've been here 30 years and have never seen anything like it," said Martz, a lake watchdog. "Is it just a winter fish kill?"

Thomas said the fact that water cools or warms more rapidly in canals has a direct effect on the number of fish killed.

"When we have cold nights and hot afternoons, it's not a good thing for fish already struggling from winter stress," Thomas said. "As water gets hot and cold it stresses those fish out even more."

Thomas, who tested the oxygen levels in the lake Thursday, said the DNR has examined "this sort of pattern before in late spring."

"It's a similar type of mortality over the years," he said. "It's common in inland lakes around the state. It's late springtime when you see this mortality take place."

Harrison Township resident Ritten House said the thousands of dead and dying fish in his canal just south of Metro Park and Jefferson Avenue was caused by something "more than winter stress."

"I think it's chemicals," House said. "You never see the bluegill die off like this. They are a good indicator of water quality. Something killed them."

Thomas said no sewer overflow events have occurred this month and there have been no reported incidents of chemical spills from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, to Detroit.

Still, the news was difficult to stomach for Tony Vadio of Harrison Township, who said he purchased a fishing license but decided not to venture out on a beautiful sunny day.

"Who wants to go fishing now after seeing this?" Vadio said.

With dead and rotting fish in canals, Thomas said the best-case scenario is for strong winds.

"If they're lucky," Thomas said, "the wind shifts and takes them away."

[Lead_Lover]

I love the fact that all of the Joe Blows think they are biologists.