Monday August 29, 2022
East Bay Times —
Oakland residents woke up Sunday morning to find thousands of dead fish lining the shores of Lake Merritt, in what scientists say may be attributed to a sudden increase in the amount of algae in the water that are toxic for some marine life.
The phenomenon — known as an algal bloom — is occurring throughout the Bay Area, from Marin County up north all the way down south to parts of Santa Clara County’s water sources. Algal blooms occur when the nutrients from wastewater treatment plants, including nitrogen and phosphorous, reach a threshold that allows for uncontrolled algae growth.
On Sunday morning at 8 a.m., Oakland resident and molecular biologist Damon Tighe said he found all types of fish washed up on the three-mile shoreline of Lake Merritt. The types of dead marine life included yellowfin goby, flounder, crabs, striped bass, bat rays and California anchovies — with the highest concentration found near the lake’s amphitheater.
Most of the fish were one to three inches long, though some six inches or larger were washed up farther from the shore.