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USCG Image - Shell Nairn - 10/8

This photo shows a common scene in coastal Louisiana: many dead fish (probably sunfish), 
and debris, including two drums of possibly unknown materials.

Many of the bayous and canals in the Mississippi Delta area were reported to 
have fish kills following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Hurricanes and tropical storms 
commonly cause low dissolved oxygen levels in shallow bays and estuaries. Oxygen levels 
can drop for a variety of storm-induced reasons, including nutrient buildup followed by 
algae blooms.  Also, storms can drive oxygen-depleted water from marshes into fish 
habitats. The exact causes of the fish kills that have followed the hurricanes aren't 
yet known for sure. 

Photo taken 10/8/05 by U.S. Coast Guard.

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