SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – UC Davis has reported the death of more than 20,000 fish at the Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture.
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The fish died of exposure to chlorine, which they are especially sensitive to, the University of California Davis reported. Laurie Brignolo Executive Director of Research and Teaching for UC Davis' Animal Care Program told KCBS Radio that small amounts of the chemical were found in the tanks about the same amount found in drinking water.
About 21,00 fish died in all, a loss that's left university staff and students devastated. CABA was researching the bioenergetics and environmental stress on fish species, with a focus on green and white sturgeon and endangered Chinook salmon, the university said.
Most of the UC David facilities do not have the potential for chlorine exposure but they are evaluating the risks at those facilities and investigating what happened.
"First and foremost, have to absolutely ensure that this could never happen again," Brignolo said. "Either at the CABA facility or at any UC Davis facility."
She said they have started the process of removing the dead fish.
"They will go through the same process as any other fish that was either euthanized or died in this facility they go through a rendering process through a local contract rendering company," she explained.
The university recognizes that researchers, agencies, Native American tribes and other partners trust the school to care for fish and wildlife. The school will be investigating its facilities and working to build that trust back holding themselves accountable and making sure it doesn't happen again, UC Davis said.
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