A number of fish have bought the farm. Shelby Farms, that is.
Shelby Farms’ Patriot Lake is experiencing a mass kill of gizzard shad, similar to an incident in March.
The U of M Ecological Research Center’s Bill Simco investigated the March kill and told the park that cloudy weather had reduced the oxygen levels in the lake, making it inhospitable for gizzard shad.
The park has called Simco to test water quality again, just in case, but because the dead fish are once again gizzard shad, they suspect lower oxygen levels as the culprit.
“We don’t think we have any cause for alarm,” says Robert Mayer, director of park operations. “This is just a natural occurrence.”
The real bad news is for park rangers.
“The rangers have to put on their waders, get out in the water and scoop out the fish,” says communications manager Jen Andrews. “We have to get them out somehow.”
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