Thousands of bunker fish suffocate from lack of oxygen in water

A number of local fishermen clean up all the dead fish that ended up floating in the canal. Image NBC New York

In an extremely bizarre turn of events, thousands of dead fish covered the Shinnecock Canal in Hampton Bays, Long Island, USA, last Monday.

NBC New York reported that state officials had theorized that the school of fish was chased into the canal by predators where their sheer number sapped the water of precious oxygen, causing widespread suffocation and eventual death. Water samples were taken to confirm the theory.

Despite the number of dead fish, officials said there was no risk to the public from the water or the dead fish.

Earlier this year, a similar incident occurred off the Raritan Bay in New Jersey. Hundreds of thousands of fish ended up floating on the surface after likely dying from the low level of dissolved oxygen in the water. Officials said the fish were likely chased into the bay by skates or bluefish.  Alfred Bayle