A massive die-off of fish in Shoal Lake, in western Manitoba, has raised the possibility of a huge cleanup ahead.
by Larry Powell Countless dead fish litter the shores. The magnitude of the die-off has emerged over the past few days, with spring breakup in full swing. The receding ice is revealing a shocking scene - thousands of fish carcasses piled up along the shorelines. Many more can be seen beneath the ice that hasn't melted yet. Gulls feast on the remains. (Eagles have also been seen doing the same.) The Mayor of the local government involved - Mervin Starzyk of the RM of Yellowhead - tells PinP , he's waiting for more information from the province on what has happened. He says the Manitoba department of Sustainable Development (SD) has told him it may have been "winter kill." (That's usually a process involving a serious depletion of oxygen in the water.) The lake shares its name with a town of some 700 people at its north end. (Google map.) Starzyk says any attempt to clean up will be both expensive and - without outside help - b