Chile: 300 Tons of Dead Fish, Sardines& 1300 Penguins Wash Ashore

Chile's beaches

thousands of dead penguins

300 tons of dead fish/sardines
experts have no cause and are puzzled

[link to hisz.rsoe.hu]

southern Chile beaches that were littered two weeks ago with the corpses of more than 1,000 penguins are now blanketed by dead sardines. In the past few days, literally tons of sardines have washed ashore along a 10-kilometer stretch in Region IX, prompting regional authorities on Wednesday to declare a health alert. More dead fish appear to be heading for coast. “We’re talking at this point about approximately 300 tons,” said Region IX Governor Nora Barrientos. “We have information that there may be a trail (of dead fish) about two miles off the coast.” The Chilean Navy has reportedly set up nets to prevent more fish from reaching land. The decomposing fish already on the beaches have forced the temporary closure of three schools and two day-care centers. So far authorities do not have an explanation for what is causing the fish kill. Nor do they know if there is any connection between the dead sardines and the approximately 1,300 Magellanic and Humbolt penguins that washed ashore in the same area in late March (PT, March 20). Chilean detectives are currently investigating the matter, which has also been brought to the attention of the State Defense Council’s environmental unit.)