TUMTUM, Wash. — Washington residents are expressing concern after dozens of dead fish were discovered near Long Lake.
A video circulating social media shows both small and large fish floating downstream on the Spokane River, dozens of them washing up on land surrounding the water. The Washington Department of Ecology and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) are aware of the situation, but don't know what caused the fish to die.
According to WDFW, a biologist on scene said it appears perch, walleye and crappie were impacted. Spokane Tribe biologists collected samples of dead fish and sent them to the Washington State University (WSU) lab for testing.
"We’ll be having a coordination meeting of all the agencies soon to discuss how to move forward," said Staci Lehman, the communications manager for WDFW.
In late December 2023, the Department of Ecology began responding to a sheen on the Spokane River. Crews collected samples and determined it was caused by a mineral oil leak by the Inland Empire Paper Company.
The sheen had no odor and the ecology department said the mineral oil product spilled is non-hazardous, non-toxic and not harmful to human or aquatic organisms.
The ecology department believes it is an isolated incident, meaning it is not continuing to spill into the river. It is not known if the sheen contributed in any way to the deaths of the fishes.
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