RFI bunker fishkill

[RescueDogger]

Lots of news about piles of dead bunker in the Navesink, Shrewsbury, Metedeconk rivers due to a bad bacteria. Looking for info or wisdom from you guys who have been fishing here for decades. What does it usually mean for the bass season when this happens? Can we eat them? Grateful for any advice.

[tautog]

These sort of kills have been going in for most of my lifetime at the very least. Sometimes it is an oxygen issue. Other times it is bacterial. Have never heard of it making anyone sick.

[Gumada]

Bunker die offs have been happening from time to time as far back as I can remember (since the 60’s). I grew up right on Raritan Bay when there was a die off the beach would be littered with dead bunker. Never heard of anyone getting sick ��.

[Gerry Zagorski]

These is a pretty normal occurrence in the middle of summer when the water warms ups and the oxygen levels get depleted... I don't recall this happening so early in the season, do any of you?

[Billfish715]

Try this link to the Div. of Fish and Wildlife


https://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/news/2021...date2_faqs.htm

[RescueDogger]

Great info fellas, sincere thanks. Looks like nature at work, full speed ahead for striper season, once they get down here to the MI.

[rumster]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

These is a pretty normal occurrence in the middle of summer when the water warms ups and the oxygen levels get depleted... I don't recall this happening so early in the season, do any of you?

Happened 3-4 years ago in Shark River. Too many bunker and not enough oxygen, with Shark River being so shallow. Countless bunker and quite a few flounder also died off. I believe it happened towards the end of March early April, if I recall correctly.

[Detour66]

Can they still be used for bait? easy pickings!!

[shresearchdude]

Hello all. I haven't been on here in a really long time. I've got close contact with the NJ fish and game Guy who did the pathology report. I can probably post that report here at another time. I don't think it gets passed on to the next animal / species that has consumed the menhaden.
This is something that would occur on a smaller scale in the springtime and sometimes in the fall. This year it's occurred on a massive scale in the springtime. I helped the guy monitor the springtime die off. After I saw his report from November and December of 2020.
I'll try to post the report ��.
This is specific to just this one species. And not to be confused with low dissolved oxygen during the warm summer months when the water temperature gets quite toasty!

[shresearchdude]

A video "meeting" with NJDEP that describes what happened this spring with the dying Menhaden.


https://youtu.be/kk70a8pr9g0