update: red river fish kill

[Guest]

Anyone have any updates on the fish kill situation. I live in the area and had my dog in the river during the days in question. I have not seen any affects on my dog. They mentioned several species of fish being killed even carp!

[fiskyknut]

JAE,
Hmmmm, where did you get this info? I myself have'nt seen any numbers of fish floating or up on the banks as of last Saturday on the streches I fish from Drayton and on northward. I remember a very low water year in the late eighties where 1000's of small sheephead were floating in the GFKS area. Where can I find this info "they mentioned"???

Thanks....fiskyknut
fiskyknut at yahoo.com

[Guest]

I have been in contact with the NDG&F and the MN DNR since Sunday when this kill was first spotted.

So far it is an isolated incident on a relatively small section of the Red. The effected section is from the below the MBJ Park in North Fargo to just North of the CO Rd #20 bridge. Floating dead fish have been spotted as far North as Harwood on the Red River.

Dissolved oxygen levels on the Red have been tested and the biologist feel that is not the issue behind this kill. Tissue samples have been gathered from specimens gathered from the kill area and are presently being tested.

They will know more after these tests are completed. As of today it is still under great scrutiny and many agencies are hard at work tracking the problem down.

As per my observations the likely kill area is much more restricted. It is likely to be narrowed down to the Highland Park area and more specifically near the Golf Course or the Water Treatment Plant vicinity. These areas are directly above the highest concentration of dead fish. From above these points there are few if any dead fish on any of the snags or pools.

We have not seen any other areas on concern yet. I have been on the Red extensively from Sunday on and seen lo other kill areas in the region surrounding Fargo, both North and South.

We suspect it is an isolated incident. That is about as much as we know as of today. I will pass along any information passed along to me when it becomes available.

If anyone does see areas of concern the NDG&F and the MN DNR wishes the info passed along ASAP.

------------------
Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

Backwater Guiding "ED on the RED"
701-281-2300
[email protected]

[scotty B]

They said on the news this morning that they have found over a 1000 dead fish including walleye, northern, catfish, and carp. Think it might be low oxygen levels due to river shrinkage.

Scotty B

[scotty B]

I guess you beat me to it Ed and good.

Scotty B

[fiskyknut]

Thanks for the link there JAE, pretty much the exact same thing Ed posted was in the article. Keep us up to date on this you guys.

Thanks....Fisky

[Guest]

The information I posted was direct from the "ND Regional Fisheries Outreach Biologist" Doug Leire as on 6:45AM today. (All except what included my personal observation that is.)

If I get any new feedback on the situation you can count on me posting it as expeditiously as feasible.

------------------
Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

Backwater Guiding "ED on the RED"
701-281-2300
[email protected]

[fiskyknut]

Wherever/whomever its from it's 'pretty much' simuliar to info in the article from what I read. Figured I'd let folks know that your post was stating what the newspaper said, of course with your observations aside. Just an FYI for others, this way folks won't need to register with the Fargo forum site to get the same info eh? I'm surprised no one brought this up before today being it was first observed on Sunday afternoon?

Hoping it does'nt get worse down there, and that it does'nt spread northward my way.

Ed and anyone else that hears more on this calamity please let us know.

Thanks again....Fisky

[Guest]

When the event was first spotted by anglers the word was quickly sent to the appropriate authorities, including the EPA. In fact the fish were still slowly dieing when the first representatives arrived on the scene. They were fast on the job evaluating any potential public danger.

Until the probable cause was established we (the concerned public) were asked to keep things in the realm of the appropriate authorities. This was to limit any potential public panic. The media knew about it by early Monday morning, even more likely by Sunday night.

The response time was very good and the concerned anglers should be highly commended for their fast action.

[This message has been edited by Backwater Eddy (edited 08-27-2003).]