Wildlife officials reported dozens of native fish were counted in a fish kill reported Thursday in the Illinois River below Tenkiller Dam and dozens more were carried off by vultures or were hidden below the murky water.
2006 map graphic of the Lower Illinois River by Steve Boaldin
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Fish kill reported in Lower Illinois River The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation stopped stocking trout in the river Sept. 20. It is one of only two year-round trout fisheries in the state. But only one trout was counted among the dead fish. Instead, biologists counted 21 paddlefish in the 25-30 pound size, between 75 and 100 blue catfish up to 8 pounds in size and 15 channel catfish dead on the spot. Walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass, drum, buffalo, shad and even one gar were found dead.
A fisherman who was at the pool below the sluice tube at the dam Wednesday evening reported the dead fish on Thursday morning, said Jim Burroughs, East Central Region fisheries supervisor.
Biologists arrived to find "literally hundreds" of vultures on the site and bits of fish remains scattered about and carcasses dragged away from the stream. Other dead fish likely were hidden below the murky water. "The count we have is actual fish identified and counted," Burroughs said. "There were considerably more than that."
Read more: http://newsok.com/fish-kill-reported-in-lower-illinois-river/article/3611175#ixzz1a76hDJoG
2006 map graphic of the Lower Illinois River by Steve Boaldin
MultimediaPhotoview all photos
Fish kill reported in Lower Illinois River The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation stopped stocking trout in the river Sept. 20. It is one of only two year-round trout fisheries in the state. But only one trout was counted among the dead fish. Instead, biologists counted 21 paddlefish in the 25-30 pound size, between 75 and 100 blue catfish up to 8 pounds in size and 15 channel catfish dead on the spot. Walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass, drum, buffalo, shad and even one gar were found dead.
A fisherman who was at the pool below the sluice tube at the dam Wednesday evening reported the dead fish on Thursday morning, said Jim Burroughs, East Central Region fisheries supervisor.
Biologists arrived to find "literally hundreds" of vultures on the site and bits of fish remains scattered about and carcasses dragged away from the stream. Other dead fish likely were hidden below the murky water. "The count we have is actual fish identified and counted," Burroughs said. "There were considerably more than that."
Read more: http://newsok.com/fish-kill-reported-in-lower-illinois-river/article/3611175#ixzz1a76hDJoG
