Large fish kill in the Shark River

[Striperswiper]

A buddy sent me a text and photo early this morning while they were all still alive.

He estimated the amount of live bunker in the river in the millions.

They probably made a wrong turn, got stuck in the river as there is really no water even at high tide and couldn't figure out how to back out of there and get into the ocean.

Packed in like sardines (bunker) they just suffocated. It's a real shame.

They usually don't come into Shark River in large numbers so this is really not the norm but if the river had been dredged it might have given them half a chance to get back out.
Capt Brian

[torchee]

Someone asked about Staten Island

I was on the kayak last night until 9

Many bunker, all still swimming

[Tuna Tales]

Yesterday I had to fuel up early and then head to work.

I saw these all of these bunker around 6:30 am...unreal sight and never seen anything like that in Belmar.

Dead and alive...all across Shark River. The live ones were on top and finning.

Full Moon?
Too many ocean bluefish pushed them in the river?
Freak happening?

It did look like lack of oxygen as a lot were also half alive when swimming around...



Best,



Joe T.

Whatever caused it it's a shame to see so many fish die bunker, fluke, flounder etc. One thing for sure is that river needs to be dredged at some point, there is simply no water in back. Shark River always was a skinny body of water but it's ridiculous how shallow areas of the bay are today. Wouldn't be surprised fish made a wrong turn and were choked by the lack of oxygen, it would certainly make sense, but I would equally not be surprised if someone dumped their catch although based on the volume of fish that seems less likely to be the case.

Capt. Elliott, the commercial industry puts themselves in this position. How many times have there been massive amounts of fish washed ashore, people think it's a fish kill only to find out later it was a commercial boat tossing their catch or by catch. I'll stop sharing my opinion when the industry stops abusing our resources which will be never. And as Hammer mentioned, there was a trawler working tight in off SRI late Sunday night and it wouldn't take a purse seiner much too net an insane amount of bunker over their capacity with the amount of bait that was outside the inlet that night, hold them until their essentially dead and they've filled their hole with catch and discard the remainder. An incoming tide would take it from there to bring that amount of dead fish into the river. It tragic what these boats do to a public resource so I apologize if my comments offended you but this industry as a whole have been responsible for depleting one stock after another. How it hasn't happened yet to bunker is amazing but it will and when your livelihood is threatened because stripers and blues have nothing left to feed on we'll see whose singing the blues.

Dakota

[Michael82929]

Was down at the marina last night launching the boat.. saw one of the epa guys...

their was no oxygen in the water. He just thinks too much bait poured in with the tide and they suck all the air out of the balloon is how he put it...