What factors can cause fish kills? Should I report a fish kill?
Fish die-offs are common in the spring. Lake residents and pond owners who find small numbers of dead fish along their shorelines in the spring need not worry in most cases. Minor fish die-offs commonly occur each year during early spring and late summer. Fish are more susceptible to stress during spring. Poor conditions in summer and fall can magnify the effects of food scarcity in winter. As the weather warms in spring, bacteria and other pathogens may infect fish. On top of this, fish are physically gearing up for the coming spawning season. All these factors produce stress that some individual fish simply cannot overcome. Stressful environmental conditions usually take their toll on weak or unhealthy fish. Natural die-offs seldom seriously impact fish populations and rarely affect fishing success. Most minor die-offs occur naturally and pond owners can do little to correct them. Conditions that cause fish die-offs may persist for several days. Frequently, dead fish will accumulate
