Officials: Algae bloom linked to dead fish washing ashore

Published 12:00 pm Monday, December 28, 2015

WAVELAND, Miss. (AP) — Thousands of dead fish have washed up ashore in Hancock County.

The Sun Herald (http://bit.ly/1kmqRUS ) reports land servicing crews picked up about 15,000 fish along Waveland Sunday.

Hancock County Chief Deputy Don Bass tells the newspaper the county has received calls over the past two weeks about dead fish washing ashore. He added that those instances were associated with the red tide algae bloom that spread throughout South Mississippi waters earlier in December.

On Dec. 11, the red tide shut down oyster reefs across the coast.

Spokeswoman for the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Melissa Scallan says dead crabs may have washed ashore as well. The department will sample the water Monday.

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