What Causes Winter Fish Kill and How Common Will it be This Year?
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says as spring approaches we can expect to find dead fish, turtles, frogs, toads and crayfish.
The Michigan DNR says when ice and snow start to melt this spring, it’s likely that we will find dead fish, but fish kills are a common occurrence in shallow lakes, ponds, streams and canals after a winter of extreme cold temperatures and large amounts of snow on the ice.
Shallow lakes with excess vegetation and soft bottoms are especially prone because as the vegetation dies from lack of sunlight, it uses up oxygen as it decays, and that contributes to fish kill.
Fish can die from a combination of low oxygen, low energy and temperature changes, but it doesn't typically affect the overall health of fish populations or fishing quality.
The Michigan DNR is asking anyone spotting a fish kill of 25 fish or more to report it here.