Millions of Dead Fish ... Authorities Pretend It Is Wholly Unrelated to BP Oil Spill

As I noted last week:

While the government denies that they are connected with the oil spill, there have been massive fishkills in Louisiana (and see this). Oil can be seen at fishkill sites (and see this), and the EPA has discovered high levels of nickel near the biggest fishkill. There have also been kills of starfish and other sea animals, including whales and dolphins:

And see this.

Here are a couple of headlines on the issue since then courtesy of Florida Oil Spill Law:

• DISPERSED OIL accumulates in menhaden fish found during massive kills, “MOST LIKELY” going to be “FATAL” — Filter feeder’s mouth “ringed with oil-like chocolate”

• Official: “We have NEVER seen large fish kills like this” NEVER this frequency PRIOR to the spill
  

• Local Official: “Millions of fish, absolutely, millions” have died in recent fishkills

• Local officials “UNCONVINCED” with State’s explanation that oil had nothing to do with huge fish kills — Taking samples to build their case

• Official: 100 local fisherman say “NO WAY” massive fish kills from just low oxygen — “ALL areas happen to have HEAVY OIL”

• “What the hell is going on in the water” says local official, “begging” feds for more tests on fish kills — “We’ve never seen so many species floating in so many different areas”

• State biologist claims massive fish kills “are NOT a concern” — Then says could be from oil-eating microbes, “I don’t know”
  

• Fisherman finding dead fish of “species they have NEVER SEEN BEFORE”
  

• State officials did NO TESTING on any dead fish from the FOUR major kills near oil-impacted areas
  

My favorite Gulf photographer - Julie Dermansky - just sent me the following photos of the third recent fishkill in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana:

The fishkill shots were taken on September 19th at Bayou Robinson, and the oil shots were taken the same day in Bay Jimmy.

Dermansky notes that the state authorities have subsequently relented, and have conducted at least some minimal testing after all.

To see more of Dermanksy's images of Bay Jimmy and the fish kill, click here.

To see more of Dermanksy's amazing photographs and sculptures - and to donate to help her continue to do her important photojournalism - click here.