Thousands of dead fish are now washing up along the shorelines of Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie. But an expert says there is no cause for alarm.
The fish are gizzard shad and the late winter "die offs" are fairly common. The fish can't tolerate the cold, and die under the ice. As the ice melts, they wash up along the shoreline.
Biologists say it is a natural event, not caused by pollution. Still, the large number of dead fish is a shock.
Presque Isle visitor Jerry Jardos said, "I can't believe how many. There's got to be a million of them, amazing."
Experts say the fish don't pose any danger. but when it gets warmer they will begin to decay and they will have a very strong odor.
DEP Great Lakes Biologist Jim Grazio said, "This is a large kill. As the fish decay and rot there is going to be oxygen depleted. It is going to stink."
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