Florida is experiencing a massive fish kill on the Indian River Lagoon. Many local newspapers are carrying the story. This massive fish kill should be a national story as it is a testament to the massive environmental destruction caused by willful ignorance. It should be a national story. It illustrates what occurs when one keeps one’s head buried in the sand. It is an example of our future where regulations are not created or enforced appropriately. It is the result of anti-science politicians who prevent necessary studies on climate and environmental realities.
The fish kill in the Indian River Lagoon should not be a surprise. Alarm bells have been ringing for a long time. All the signs that should have started concrete actions were politically and functionally ignored.
What causes a fish kill?
According to the USGS:
Many, but not all, fish kills in the summer result from low concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the water. Fish, like all other complex life forms, need oxygen to survive. They get theirs in the form of oxygen gas dissolved in the water. That’s why it’s important to have an aeration device, a bubbler, in your home aquarium.
Warm water holds less dissolved oxygen than cold water, so summer is the time when fish can have a hard time getting enough oxygen. Other organisms use oxygen, too, including the algae that grow in the summer and bacteria that degrade organic matter. During the day, the algae produce oxygen through photosynthesis, but at night, when photosynthesis stops, they and other organisms keep respiring, using up oxygen.
So on warm summer nights during algal blooms, the dissolved-oxygen concentration sometimes drops too low for the fish, and a die-off can occur. This can occur as a result of purely natural conditions or because of human activity that results in adding nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, to water systems. Nutrients come from many sources: fertilizers, automobiles, sewage, manure, and others. An excess of nutrients tends to speed up the growth of algae and diminish the availability of dissolved oxygen. Low dissolved oxygen can result from other factors, too, such as poor flushing or circulation, dredging, or a sudden rain after a dry spell.
Fish kills also can occur as a result to toxic compounds released into a body of water. In order for this to occur, the toxic compound must be fairly highly concentrated. In a large water body (such as the Chesapeake Bay) this would require a very large amount of the toxic compound, and a release site fairly close to the affected fish.
Massive fish kill – The destruction of the environment
Ironically many of those who support the politicians that believe in low regulations, ignore the environmental damage and keep taxes too low to test and manage the environment are the ones that will most be affected by this fish kill. Their playground is now stinking and polluted. Are they likely to start pushing for action now? How many more fish will have to die? How much more environmental destruction must occur?