Thousands of dead fish washed up on Quintana Beach along the Texas Gulf Coast last Friday. The reason: a phenomenon called hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen in the water, which could be caused in particular by the warming of the waters associated with climate change.
According to authorities at Quintana Park, located in Brazoria, Texas, the various circumstances that combined on that fateful day constituted the “perfect storm” for tens of thousands of Gulf menhaden – a stranded breed of fish – to die of suffocation.
“When the water temperature exceeds 21 degrees Celsius, it becomes difficult for fit men to get enough oxygen to survive,” reads the report, written by park officials following the event.
You should know that hot water contains less oxygen than cold water; In recent days, the sea temperature has been recorded at 26 degrees Celsius. The calm sea and cloud cover also prevented the oxygenation of sea water by waves and photosynthesis by phytoplankton or algae.
While a sighting like this is not rare, it is likely to multiply in the coming years as global warming continues to worsen, said Katie St. Clair, director of the marine life facility at Texas A&M University. The New York Times.
According to the latter, the deaths of these thousands of fish could have a significant environmental impact, as Menhaden plays an “important role” in the bay’s ecosystem.
Photo from Quintana Beach County Park’s Facebook page
The process of cleaning up the stuck dead fish lasted two days.
“There can be a cascade of consequences if we continue to kill these big fish,” adds Katie St. Clair.
A United Nations report published in 2019 concluded that rising ocean temperatures are causing a loss of oxygen in coastal waters, threatening fish populations.
— With information from The New York Times
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