Approximately 21,000 fish died at the University of California Davis aquatic research center. According to a university statement, the loss appears to be the result of chlorine exposure, to which fish are especially sensitive. Among the dead fish were green and white sturgeon and endangered Chinook salmon.
Died Fish in California University Aquatic Research Center
The fish were being used to study bioenergetics and environmental stressors on various species, and it would launch an investigation into how the center's process failed.
"We share the grief of the faculty, staff and students who worked to care for, study and conserve these animals," the statement read.
It added that the research center is committed to understanding what happened and making changes to the facility to ensure that it does not happen again.
The research center is in the process of notifying regulatory and funding agencies, as well as collaborators, caring for the surviving fish, reviewing processes in other similar facilities, initiating an independent external review, developing mitigation plans for directly affected research programs, caring for the surviving fish, and providing support to students, staff, and faculty.
Chlorine Exposure of Fish in the California University Aquatic Research Center
University spokesperson Andy Fell told USA Today, that the university believed the chlorinated water backed up in the fish tanks due to a failure in an external decontamination system.
Fell stated that these were currently all of the fish kept in those outdoor tanks, so it was a total loss for the center. He described what had happened as devastating.
Chlorine is a decontaminant that is commonly found in tap water. The Florida Department of Agriculture does not recommend using tap water in fish tanks without a dechlorinator.
The chemical is extremely toxic to fish and must be completely removed before fish enter the water. Chloramine is made up of chlorine and ammonia, and both are toxic to fish. While chlorine can be removed from water in about 24 hours using aeration, chloramine is much more stable. A commercial dechlorinator can be used to remove chlorine (and the chlorine portion of chloramine).
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California University Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture Facility Status
According to the university's statement, the situation had no effect on UC Davis's other aquatic research facilities. However, it is intended to assess the risk at some facilities where similar chlorine exposure could occur.
According to the center's website, the fish died at UC Davis' Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture, which conducts research to protect the state's aquatic resources.
Approximately 100 fish were saved, and the center's staff were provided by the university with mental health resources.
The Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture (CABA) was founded to provide University of California Davis researchers with leadership, focus, and assistance in addressing problems involving California's cultured and wild aquatic biological resources.
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