Severe winter causes fish kills

Wallingford, Conn. (WTNH) - The state Department of Environmental Protection says this year's harsh winter is causing an increase in fish kills in shallow ponds and lakes across the state.

It's happening at North Farms Reservoir in Wallingford. Pictures sent in to News 8 show dozens of dead fish; carp, sunfish and bass of all sizes are dead.

The DEP says winterkill is a natural event that varies from year to year, depending on conditions.

"Winterkills occur most frequently in very shallow, nutrient-enriched ponds that are subject to abundant growth of aquatic weeds," said Peter Aarrestad, Director of DEP's Inland Fisheries Division. "Conditions conducive to winterkill arise when heavy snow cover over ice inhibits sunlight penetration, thereby preventing aquatic plants from producing oxygen via photosynthesis. The fish typically die during the winter and are only observed following ice-out."

Anyone observing abnormally high fish mortalities during or after ice out this spring can notify the DEP Inland Fisheries Division at the Headquarters in Hartford (860-424-3474), the Eastern District Office in Marlborough (860-295-9523) or the Western District office in Harwinton (860-485-0226).