The fish belonged to the Menhaden species. (representative photo)
This weekend, thousands of small dead fish washed up on a beach on Staten Island in New York, giving off a strong odor that is bothering local residents. The fish have started to rot, forcing some local residents to stay indoors to avoid the stench.
One of the locals, John Mastelone, told Staten Island Live“We saw like white things – it was low tide. Today, the smell is horrific. You can’t even go outside. And I don’t know if it’s dangerous to breathe in it, but we’re not going out.”
He further expressed concern, claiming that “something very big could happen”.
According to newsweekFish meat contains a chemical trimethylamine oxide, which causes an unbearable odor when exposed to air after death.
Local officials have yet to issue a statement about what caused the deaths.
But this isn’t the first time that dead fish have been swept off the shores of Staten Island.
A similar incident was reported in the Great Kills Park area in April 2021, Staten Island Live reported. This was investigated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Preservation (DEP), which said the deaths were caused by “undetermined species of bacteria”.
The fish belonged to the menhaden species, also known as bunker fish. They are mainly used for forage and non-commercial purposes.
In 2017 also Lemon Creek and Wolfs Pond Park saw large numbers of bunker fish on their shores.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, menhadenes are both an important part of the food chain and are harvested commercially for their use in supplement products.