The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) is assisting the Ministry of Environment in its investigation of a fish die-off in the Port Franks area of Lake Huron.
ABCA Healthy Watershed Manager Mari Veliz said local residents reported dead fish in July. Veliz, the Ministry, and the Conservation Authority are grateful for residents along the shoreline who report things like that.
“When there is a fish die-off, the people that observe it should reach out to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks for the fish die-off line and make the report to them," said Veliz. "They're folks that will have the ability to do the investigation.”
At this time, the organizations haven't been able to determine the source.
Veliz said the die-off was only at the mouth of the Ausable River in Port Franks and adds a fish die-off can be the result of a number of things.
“In that case, you might just have one kind of species," she said. "It might be a capacity issue or a particular virus that goes through. I've also seen chemical or manure spills. We've also seen dissolved oxygen changes in the water that influence the fish.”
Veliz adds, if there is a good side to an incident like a fish die-off it's that it does remind people of the vulnerability of our natural world, including aquatic species. The ABCA does have an Ausable River Action Plan that highlights things that people can do to improve the health of the fish community in the area. That's available on the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority website.