Toxic algae bloom kills off fish around San Francisco Bay

By Nathan Frandino

(Reuters) – Rotting carcasses of striped bass, bat rays and different fish have been washing up on the shores of the San Francisco Bay Space in current days, after a poisonous algae bloom unfold throughout the world.

The poisonous bloom started in July and has stretched as far north as San Pablo Bay, roughly 20 miles (32 km) north of San Francisco, to as far south because the coastlines of San Mateo County, stated environmental advocacy group San Francisco Baykeeper.

It recognized the perpetrator behind the murky brown waters as a species of algae referred to as Heterosigma akashiwo.

“This bloom’s been happening for over a month and it’s protecting San Francisco Bay, so the scope and the length of this bloom is unprecedented,” Jon Rosenfield, a Baykeeper senior scientist, instructed Reuters.

He blamed the bloom on handled wastewater containing nitrogen and phosphorous dumped into the bay by about 40 wastewater therapy facilities.

A spokesperson for the general public works division within the metropolis of Oakland, throughout the bay from San Francisco, stated it’s doing what it might probably to take care of the fish deaths and algal bloom, however couldn’t speculate on the foundation reason for the phenomenon.

Employees on Wednesday donned hazmat fits with N95 masks, gloves and boots and climbed into the mud of Lake Merritt’s shores, braving the pungent stench to gather rotting carcasses of fish and different wildlife floating within the water or resting on the mud.

“It is type of my second house, and I’ve by no means seen something like this,” stated Oakland resident Sara Moss, 27, who incessantly involves Lake Merritt. “It’s insane what number of lifeless fish there are, all sizes too.”

(Reporting by Nathan Frandino, writing by Deepa Babington; Modifying by Invoice Berkrot)