Researcher has found out that the million of sardines found dead last week in southern California is positive of a powerful Neurotoxin.
David Caron a biologist in Southern California who studied the bodies of the dead fishes wrote in his summary which was reported by the Los Angeles Times that indeed the sardines was positive of a powerful Neurotoxin specifically Domoic Acid. He also added that this might be the cause of the fish distressed and forced them to swim into the Redondo Beach Marina.
But Caron still believe that the main reason why the sardines died is the lack of Oxygen level in water but it is possible that the toxin may have been one of the factors why they crowded into the marina.
Aside from David Caron, The Department of Fish and Game also believe that the death of millions sardines in Marina is caused by Low Oxygen. They are also conducting their own test to find out the true cause of the fish death. The result is expected to come out next week.
Last Wednesday toxic algae bloom where spotted off in the Redondo Beach. Caron is suspecting that those algae might have been the cause of the sardine’s death.
Domoic acid is often found in the stomach of the fish that have been feeding on the plankton during toxic algae blooms. The toxin has been linked to neurological disorders, illness, and deaths in seabirds, sea lions, sea otters and whales.
Researchers are now afraid that some of the other life forms in the sea might have eaten the dead bodies of sardines that might cause them to suffer health complications.
The sardines were spotted dead late Monday morning where they stack up to 2 feet deep in some places of the beach. The 80 Tons of Dead fish scooped by the crews is planned to be composed and made as fertilizer.