2023-12-12 20:47:40
Tokyo: Tons of dead fish have washed up on a beach in northern Japan, causing panic among local residents. The fish washed ashore along with the waves.
Herring and halibut washed ashore on Hakodate, Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido, on Thursday morning. The fishes were piled up like a pile of wool on the shore regarding a kilometer away. Local residents said that they have never seen such an incident before. Authorities issued a warning following some started collecting dead fish to sell and cook. Officials have urged people not to eat fish washed up on the shore.
Takashi Fujioka, a researcher at the Hakodate Fisheries Research Institute, said he had heard of similar phenomena but was seeing it for the first time. He added that they might have collapsed due to lack of oxygen or been swept away by the waves. Takashi explained that rotting fish can deplete oxygen levels in the water and affect the marine environment.
