Bacteria may be culprit in Falls fish kill

One count finds about 1,400 dead fish; an expert doubts water pollution is at fault, as just one species is affected.

Reports of dead catfish in Falls Lake near Rolling View Marina appear to involve several thousand fish, according to Upper Neuse Riverkeeper Dean Naujoks.

Naujoks said Friday that he counted more than 600 dead catfish in tributaries of Falls Lake north of N.C. 50, concentrated around Sandling Beach and Lick Creek.

"There is no doubt in my mind that thousands of fish have died," said Naujoks, who collected some fish for analysis by pathologists.

Brian McRae, Piedmont region research coordinator for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's division of Inland Fisheries, said the state had investigated a report of about 100 dead fish on the lake Thursday.

McRae said state investigators returned to the lake Friday and counted about 1,400 dead fish.

Because the dead fish were all catfish, he said that bacteria were targeting specific species during spawning season.

McRae said a similar fish kill involving 50 to 100 black crappie occurred in late April on Jordan Lake.

"Those fish were analyzed and came back as a bacterial infection related to spawning stress," McRae said. "It turned out to be a bacteria infection that led to a fungal infection that weakened the immune system."

McRae said the number of fish was not large enough to be of concern. He said if water pollution were causing the fish kill, multiple species likely would be involved. In addition, he said, water quality inspectors had not found problems with contaminants in the water.

Amy Poole, an owner of Rolling View Marina in Durham County, said she contacted Naujoks after receiving several reports of dead fish.

"I've been out here for many, many years," Poole said. "This is just strange. If there is something here that is doing this, I want to know about it."