Thousands of dead fish and other marine life carcasses are washing ashore in the San Francisco Bay Area, creating a foul smell. Experts point to an unprecedented “red tide” algae bloom as the mostly likely cause.
Abnormal numbers of dead crabs, bat rays, striped bass, white sturgeon and more have been spotted throughout the Bay area over the last week, officials say, notably at Oakland’s Lake Merritt. The start of the fish die-off could date back even further – as the harmful algae bloom has been spreading since late July.
The carcasses are worrying environmental scientists, as they mark a devastating loss to marine life. Experts also fear that the impacts could worsen over the weekend’s expected heatwave, which could cause the harmful algae bloom to grow even more.
Dead fish are piling up on San Francisco Bay Area shores. A toxic algae bloom is likely causeSource: USA Today