DEC explanation for dead mooneyes (alewives) washing up on eastern shore.

[chinook35]

Must be the alewife population is in decent shape.  Haven’t seen big die offs in years 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/public-safety-and-emergencies/health-and-safety-alerts/dec-explains-surplus-of-dead-fish-found-along-lake-ontario-shoreline/ar-AA1GxoKm?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[chinook35]

Many people have been asking about the cause of the alewife fish die off along the shore.  I checked with the lead Aquatic Biologist for Region 6 at the DEC and received the following reply:

"There has been an ongoing alewife die off in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River this spring. We have one of the biggest year classes of alewife produced in a while and they went into the winter a bit slender (due to prey limitations). They then had to try to make it through a tough winter and headed into spawning a bit stressed. We've seen this before. It's a natural thing like you said, and yes we haven't seen this in quite a few years. Nothing to be alarmed of, just a little stinky."

Ron Fisher, ELODC (Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Coalition) Landowners Committee Chair

[spoonfed-1]

Stock more salmon. Done.