Why Are Dead Fish Floating in the Hudson River? Here’s What We Know

Hordes of floating dead fish have been spotted along the Hudson River over the last few days along the New Jersey and New York shorelines, leaving many local residents to ponder the cause. From sewage leakage to shockwaves from the recent Macy’s fireworks to yearly spawning, there has been wide speculation. So should residents be concerned?  According to environmentalists responsible for investigating such matters along the Hudson, the answer appears to be no. Here’s what we know so far.

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Why So Many Dead Fish?

“The City began receiving inquiries [Thursday morning] relating to fish in the Hudson River. The City then immediately reached out to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the responsible agency for this type of matter, to investigate,” Vijay Chaudhuri, Director of Communications for the City, told Hoboken Girl via email.

New York State DEC Confirms ‘Natural Phenomenon’

Trouble in the Hudson?

It seems residents don’t have to be concerned about contaminated water, but, according to RiverKeeper, this is an indication that all is not well. The group says the fish kill is a signal of the River’s underlying health.

“We should consider this yet another warning that we need to restore the baseline health of the Hudson and New York Harbor in the face of climate change and ever-increasing global water temperatures. Fifty years from now, or 20, or even 10 years from now, sunny, hot months like this past June will have even greater consequences, because baseline water temperatures will be that much higher,” their website reads, noting the threat of climate change continues to loom large.

“The warm, sunny weather and low dissolved oxygen have tipped the river beyond its ability to support some aquatic life. Seeing this, we need to do what we can, now, to restore the river to balance.”

See More: Welcome to Little Island Park — Hudson River’s ‘Floating’ Green Space Set to Open in 2021