Tens of Thousands of Fish Wash Up in Multiple N.J. Fish Kills

Atlantic menhaden, aka peanut bunker by Brian Gratwicke via Creative Commons license,

Another day, another fish kill at the Jersey Shore.

This Sunday, thousands of dead fish washed up at the Atlantic Highlands marina in Monmouth County.

On Saturday, about 15,000 to 20,000 dead fish washed up in Little Egg Harbor in Ocean County. Earlier last week, more dead fish popped up in Keansburg in Monmouth County.

So what’s causing these fish kills? Per the Asbury Park Press, the state Department of Environmental Protection says that “most likely, these large groups of fish are bring chased by predator fish from colder waters, into warmer waters.”

Between 15,000 and 20,000 peanut bunker were found dead in Ocean County on Saturday. The following day, thousands more were found dead. “Our Bureau of Marine Fisheries estimates that the number of this bait fish has not been this high in more than a decade off the Atlantic coast,” the DEP told APP.

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