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What's Killing Large Clusters Of Fish Along The Hudson River?
By
David Cruz
Published Jul 4, 2020
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Riverkeeper
By
David Cruz
Published Jul 4, 2020
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From Manhattan all the way up to Haverstraw Bay in Rockland County, hordes of dead fish have been spotted floating up the Hudson River during the early weeks of summer, which an environmental group is blaming on climate change and the blistering heat spells New Yorkers have endured recently.
Calls from curious New Yorkers are now being fielded by Riverkeeper, the environmental group that's noted the rise in fish deaths.
"The widespread deaths of Atlantic menhaden, and possibly other species, are most likely the result of prolonged heat and lack of rain, combined with other factors, which reduce levels of dissolved oxygen that the fish need to survive," said Riverkeeper.
The increased heat, particularly in the summer, often leads to decreased oxygen for the fishes to thrive in. Riverkeeper noted that reduced oxygen levels in the river could also be the result of dissolving algal blooms by oxygen-hogging microorganisms.
The loss of aquatic life has also given way to the rise in decomposed fish. Riverkeeper points out that the marine life that consumes algae has died off, citing the Billion Oyster Project that points out 344 miles of filter-feeding oyster beds and reefs have been destroyed.
Health officials told WABC-TV there is no reason to be alarmed by these fish fatalities.
Livable water conditions are expected to return sometime in the latter part of the summer when temperatures become bearable again.
But Riverkeeper suspects this is part of a larger trend, and if climate change continues, "Fifty years from now, or 20, or even 10 years from now, sunny, hot months like this past June will have even greater consequences, because baseline water temperatures will be that much higher."
The average temperature in New York City this month was 82 degrees compared to 78 degrees in June 2019.
Tagged
environment
hudson river
David Cruz
David is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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