Thousands of dead fish have washed ashore at Quintana Beach Park in Brazoria County, Texas.
The massive amount of dead fish has many experts believing their cause of death is related to the recent heat wave in Southern Texas.
Katie St. Clair who serves as the Sea Life Facility Manager at Texas A&M University stated “As we get these warmer Gulf water temperatures, the water itself has less capacity to hold dissolved oxygen, which of course is really important and essential for the fish and other animals to breathe.”
Park officials have been working overtime to clean up the beach but the task has been daunting due to more and more fish washing up on shore.
WATCH:
Hundreds of fish found dead at Quintana Beach County Park https://t.co/3ymYBbpcXl pic.twitter.com/F6iWmE93Mh
— FOX26Houston (@FOX26Houston) June 10, 2023
Per Fox 26 News:
Hundreds of Menhaden fish were found dead at Quintana Beach County Park in Brazoria County, officials said. According to county park officials, the fish died as a result of low dissolved oxygen.
Park officials said cooler water is capable of holding much more oxygen than warmer water, and fish that find themselves in warm water can end up in big trouble. When water temperature rises above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, it becomes hard for Menhaden to receive enough oxygen to survive.
Park officials said crews are beginning the removal process. However, the tide will need to recede several more feet before all the fish can be removed. There are still dead fish in the water, and washing in.
Here’s another look at the massive amount of fish washing ashore:
Yesterday I took a dozen international visiting sedimentologists to Quintana Beach, TX. I might be an expert on some things on the beach but this fish kill baffled all of us. Went for miles. Low oxygen sure but why here and now? Why this dramatic? Scary future. @TPWDnews pic.twitter.com/TVBdJEJL7v
— @[email protected] (@houston_wellner) June 11, 2023
