Image
Anchovies are small bait fish that are an essential part of the marine food web, feeding marine mammals, seabirds and larger fish. Anchovy die-offs are sporadic events here where we live on Monterey Bay, and elsewhere around the world.
It Stinks!
Sometimes very large schools of anchovies come in close to shore and mistakenly swim up harbors where they find a dead end. Scientists aren’t sure why, but perhaps marine mammals or seabirds are chasing them. These huge schools take-up oxygen in the harbors and eventually die. Other animals living in the harbors that can’t escape also die. Not only does the lack of oxygen affect the habitat, but also the oil slicks that these oily fish leave do as well. And, it really stinks!
