Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is investigating multiple natural fish kills affecting thousands of Atlantic menhaden in the past week, including in the Quinnipiac River, Clinton Harbor and the lower Connecticut River, according to a press release from the DEEP.
Menhaden have also died off in the Thames River between Norwich and the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Groton, the DEEP said.
Small numbers of fish kills of other species have been reported in these areas as well, the release said.
Atlantic menhaden, a common schooling fish averaging about 10 to 14 inches long, have been extremely abundant in southern New England and New York waters for the past two years, said the release. The recent increase is likely due to commercial fishing limits placed on menhaden by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission beginning in 2013, according to David Simpson, Director of the CT DEEP Marine Fisheries Division. Menhaden, a valuable commercial catch to be processed into animal feed and other products, or used as bait in lobster, crab and other fisheries, also provide important forage for larger fish species, sea birds and marine mammals.
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