DEC Investigating Fish and Mudpuppy Die-off on Lake Erie Shore

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is investigating the deaths of mudpuppies and fish washing up on the shore of Lake Erie. Mudpuppies, an aquatic salamander, along with smallmouth bass, catfish and sheephead are among the species that have been found dead at locations including Point Gratiot, Sunset Bay, Evangola State Park, and Sturgeon Point. The mudpuppy and fish die-offs can be caused by a number of factors, such as water temperature changes or various diseases. DEC has collected a mudpuppy sample and has sent it to a lab for analysis and to potentially determine a cause of death. Based on the characteristics of the species found to date, there is the potential that the mudpuppy and fish deaths are being caused by Type E botulism toxin, a poison produced by Clostridium botulinum. This... [read full story]