Fish Kill down by Hoodsport?

nwscubamom · Post by **nwscubamom** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:26 am

Just got this in from the Hood Canal folks at the HCDOP. Anna's Bay is down at the bend in Hood Canal down at the very southern part. Anybody here know about this or see anything?:

On morning of January 8, 2008, an unusual fish kill event was observed along the western shore of Hood Canal. Dead fish were observed from Annas Bay and north to Hoodsport. All of the dead fish, approximately several thousand, were adult anchovies. There were no indications of a spill of toxic chemicals and the level of dissolved oxygen in the area was above the minimum amount needed to support fish life. By the afternoon high tide, there was no longer evidence of any dead fish. The cause for the mortality is not yet known but further investigations are leading to the potential link to the effects of cold water temperatures or the possibility of disease. Pathological examinations are underway.

Jan Newton and Dan Hannafious
Co-managers
Hood Canal Dissolved Oxygen Program

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:36 am

Hi, Janna!

How odd! I wonder why the kill would have only involved "adult anchovies"? Certainly not your "ordinary" Hood Canal fish kill event....

Did you get my e-mail about the release of the Hood Canal article?

- John

Penopolypants · Post by **Penopolypants** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:08 am

I had no idea the PNW had anchovies! Wish I were finding this out under different circumstances though.

Perhaps somebody had a bad experience with a pizza and was getting revenge?

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:15 am

Yeah we do. They are really hard to tell from herring while diving, just a silver flash.

nwscubamom · Post by **nwscubamom** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:11 pm

They're Northern Anchovies and we don't usually see them while diving. You can tell them from herring and sandlance because they do this really weird flaring thing with their jaws.

Here's one swimming along normally (cheater photo taken in aquarium)

And here's them doing the flaring thing:

- Janna

cardiver · Post by **cardiver** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:22 pm

Great pic, Janna! Any idea why they do that with their jaw?

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 5:28 pm

cardiver wrote:Great pic, Janna! Any idea why they do that with their jaw?

Fish burps?

-Valerie

Scubak · Post by **Scubak** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:19 pm

Zen Diver 2 wrote:
cardiver wrote:Great pic, Janna! Any idea why they do that with their jaw?
Fish burps?

-Valerie

LMOA!!!!
That was great!
It's good to see some funny, entertaining threads on this board today!
K

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 7:25 pm

i'm headed out to hood canal (octopus hole) tomorrow morning. is there anything i could be looking for specifically? well, besides, you know, dead fish?

nwscubamom · Post by **nwscubamom** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:25 pm

Nope, I don't think so - they've already confirmed it wasn't due to low oxygen - I guess you could confirm that by the presence of rockfish at lower depths.

You know, I wonder if the layer of silt from the storm that's all over the place now down there had anything to do with the fish kill? Just a thought - it's about the only variable that's recently changed. Check out the silt...if you don't mind...what is it covering? How deep?

- Janna

Pinkpadigal · Post by **Pinkpadigal** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:32 pm

nwscubamom wrote:
You know, I wonder if the layer of silt from the storm that's all over the place now down there had anything to do with the fish kill? Just a thought - it's about the only variable that's recently changed. Check out the silt...if you don't mind...what is it covering? How deep?

- Janna

I was wondering the same thing. There was a lot of flooding in and around Hoodsport. The amount of silt we saw at Sund Rock was also unusual.

whatevah · Post by **whatevah** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:22 am

(to answer the question about anchovy mouths)

Anchovies are suspension feeders. They often swim into the current with their mouths agape filtering tiny organisms from the flow. They'll also dart and snap at larger individual morsels - just like other herring. One of the aquariums (Monterey? or maybe Seattle?) has an excellent display - a tubular aquarium with a constant vortex in it - it contains Anchovies swimming in a permanent circle with their mouths opening and closing over and again. It's a bit like watching a mouse in an exercise wheel.

BASSMAN · Post by **BASSMAN** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:05 pm

I like the "Fish Burps" explanation better.

Thanks for the info whatevah!

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 8:01 am

nwscubamom wrote:Nope, I don't think so - they've already confirmed it wasn't due to low oxygen - I guess you could confirm that by the presence of rockfish at lower depths.

You know, I wonder if the layer of silt from the storm that's all over the place now down there had anything to do with the fish kill? Just a thought - it's about the only variable that's recently changed. Check out the silt...if you don't mind...what is it covering? How deep?

- Janna

i got in a dive at Octopus Hole yesterday and the viz was good, 15-20' most of the time. most of the silt has settled with a light dusting in the shallows (1/8" -1/4" on average), but with a lot more down the wall and especially near the base. descending the wall it seemed that there was anywhere from 1/2" to 1" of silt built in some of the more levels spots.

there were rockfish below 30', as well as lings and perch about. no shortage of gobies, shrimp and squat lobsters either.

overall, a fun dive, just had to be careful not to kick up the silt.

gomi_otaku · Post by **gomi_otaku** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 9:48 am

Yesterday on the news they implied that sea lions were responsible for "herding" the schools of anchovies.
gomi_

nwscubamom · Post by **nwscubamom** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:36 am

whatevah wrote:(to answer the question about anchovy mouths)

One of the aquariums (Monterey? or maybe Seattle?) has an excellent display - a tubular aquarium with a constant vortex in it - it contains Anchovies swimming in a permanent circle with their mouths opening and closing over and again. It's a bit like watching a mouse in an exercise wheel.

Pete!! Brilliant!! I had forgotten about that! I actually have some video of that one. (It's at Monterey Bay Aquarium) Uploaded it to my Youtube for your viewing pleasure. Unfortunately the quality on Youtube makes it hard to see the gills flaring, but you can still see it somewhat.

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uPmyRv8iw4k&re ... ram><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uPmyRv8iw4k&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

And here's a video at MBAq of some Pacific Sandlance swimming in circles in an overhead exhibit. It shows the snake-like way they swim pretty well.

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FeUop8gIdxc&re ... ram><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FeUop8gIdxc&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

- Janna

Northwest Dive Club

Fish Kill down by Hoodsport?

Fish Kill down by Hoodsport?

haha