Cause of Dead Herring Still Unknown

A spokesperson for DFO Nanaimo says the causes of the death of thousands of herring that washed up in Cedar has three possible causes that DFO is investigating.

The cause could be loss from fishing nets, a disease such as virus or bacteriological and toxins. Samples have been taken and are at the labs for disease and toxicology but results could take 7 to 14 days and even then may not be definitive.

The unusual event has led to speculation that lack of oxygen could be the cause, sea lions, uranium from the freighter that had been at Ladysmith to a discharge from Harmac. It is a disturbing and unusual event, however people who are familiar with the numbers of herring usually grouped together don't seem to think this is as large an event as the average person might. Apparently a large mass of herring can number in the millions and billions and while a few thousand on a beach calls for an answer it may not be an event for much concern.

It would not surprise me, if such events are more common than we may think, however considering the sheer size of our coastline such events may simply go unnoticed as no human eyes witness the event.