By The Observer Staff
(Basseterre, St. Kitts) – Large numbers of dead fish have been turning up in waters around St. Kitts since early this week. Authorities have started testing the fish to try to determine what caused the fish kill and officials are warning the public not to consume any of the fish that have been found dead.
A spokesperson for the Department of Fisheries said they do not know why the fish are dying. The department is conducting a full battery of tests to try to learn what has caused it.
No estimate of the number of dead fish has been made, according to the spokesperson.
Fishermen are being asked to bring any of the fish carcasses they find to either the Fisheries Department or the Basseterre Fisheries Complex to be used for testing.
A variety of species, including red fish and snapper, have been found floating dead in the waters of Frigate Bay and Friars Bay, Calvison “Bing” Morton of Nevis said. Mr. Morton is a fisherman.
Other fishermen began spotting the fish on Tuesday and saw more on Wednesday, he said.
“It was a lot more than usual,” Mr. Morton said.
Fish kills can be caused by humans, although many are natural occurrences.
According to a Fish Kill Investigation Manual prepared by the government of Australia, some of the causes are:
– low oxygen levels in the water, which can be caused by discharges of organic matter (i.e. sewage), mud stirred up from the bottom, rapid turnover of a stratified water body or decaying plant life;
– an excess of acid in the water which can occur naturally or be caused by soil runoff;
– excessive plant growth
– a drastic change in water temperature
– diseases or parasites.
The Fisheries Department can be contacted at 465-8045.
