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Port Aransas fish kill caused by low water levels

Low tide and lack of rain combined are to blame, according to Nunez

File: Texas beach image. (Callaghan O'Hare, 2020 Getty Images)

PORT ARANSAS – A fish kill was reported to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department last week in Port Aransas.

The fish kill was located in a canal that is across Seventh Street between Avenue G and Avenue E., according to KRIS 6 News.

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The term fish kill refers to the unexpected death of many fish over a short period, according to the TPWD.

Low tide and lack of rain dried up the portion of the canal where it drains into the wetlands, causing the sudden drop in aquatic species, according to Alex Nuñez, regional response coordinator for TPWS Kills and Spills.

As water temperatures increase in the summer it puts added stress on fish, according to Nunez.

“As water temperatures get high, they cannot maintain as much oxygen in the water, so we’ll have these small pocket areas where we’ll have these low dissolved oxygen fish kills,” Nunez said.

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About the Author

Emily Ramirez is a Digital Producer trainee for KSAT 12. She has written and photographed for several magazines and newspapers, including San Antonio Magazine, Austin Monthly and the San Antonio Current. A proud San Antonio native and graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, she is now completing her M.A. at UTSA.

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