Thousands of dead fish are floating in the Rouge River: Here's why

Horrible smell is overwhelming by Fort Street Bridge

DETROIT – Those who walk around the Fort Street Bridge in Detroit said there is a smell so horrible that it's overwhelming.

Thousands of dead fish, the gizzard shad, are piling up in the nooks and crannies around the bridge.

“Oh, yeah, that smell is horrible,” Beatrice Lovins said, holding her hand over her face.

The sight of the floating, dead fish is not great to look at, either. It has alarmed some people who have seen it, and they called Local 4, looking for an explanation.

According to the Department of Natural Resources, the dead fish weren't caused by anything sinister.

“What they’re saying is it’s because of spring,” Lovins said.

The DNR says it’s a yearly occurrence, showing spring is here. It’s a sign of rising water temperatures after a cold winter, during which the fish struggle for nutrients, and it makes them go belly up.

Eventually, the current moves them out and the dead fish aroma goes away.


About the Authors:

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.