Here's more info about the low oxygen story appearing yesterday in the Houston Chronicle. This is from a website for "The News Herald" (http://www.newsherald.com/archive/local/cw071298.htm) and dated 12 July: Something's fishy about cold water DAVID ANGIER The News Herald A longtime fisherman talks about seeing some unusual things in the inlet to St. Andrew Bay recently - and the National Marine Fisheries Service says he's not alone. In fact, this weekend the NMFS in Panama City is sending out a boat to take temperature, salinity and oxygen measurements. "I've seen thousands of little small flounder, rock shrimp, regular shrimp and crab coming up and swimming on top of the surface. It's mainly out in the new pass area," said William Barfield, who has been fishing the bay for 25 years. Barfield said the water in that area is several degrees colder than the surrounding waters, which is forcing the bottom dwellers to the top for oxygen. In fact, officials say the water is 10 to 15 degrees colder in a line of water 15 to 20 miles wide that stretches from the Ochlockonee River to Pensacola Bay. The cold water starts about 20 feet down and has not reached shore yet. Barfield said he was out fishing recently and jumped in the water to cool off. "Oh my goodness it was cold," he said. "My grandson jumped in and said it was a cold as you would find in any creek." Surface water temperatures on Friday were 85 to 86 degrees - slightly above normal - between Panama City and Pensacola. Barfield said the cold water seems to be mainly affecting the shell fish but it has run off some of his usual catch as well. He said besides the water's temperature, it also looks different then he's ever seen. "This here is unusual," he said. "I've fished out for 25 years never seen nothing like this. The way this works, the water turned black and dark and it's too cold for the shell fish." Barfield said he's seen red tide before but this is different. The water is too murky to see the bottom. The mass of colder water, which likely has risen from deep in the Gulf of Mexico, contains low levels of oxygen which could cause major fish kills, according to scientists. "This is an extremely unusual oceanographic event, and one that I have not experienced before in 30 years of oceanographic research in the Gulf of Mexico," said Sneed Collard, a University of West Florida biology professor. Divers already have reported dead fish and crabs on the bottom of St. Andrew Bay and in the Destin East Pass area. Off Pensacola Beach, fish usually plentiful this time of year - such as king mackerel and red snapper - are scarce. Offshore reefs seem to have less sea life than normal. "It is very strange this year," said Joe Denmon, who has been diving in the Pensacola area for 25 years. "I would have to say that in all of my years here, and I'm a native of Pensacola, I cannot remember seeing anything like this." Theories abound about what may be causing the cold upwelling and the reason it contains so little oxygen. Measurements already taken by the fisheries services at the inlet into St. Andrew Bay have shown low oxygen levels, said Chris Koenig, a research coordinator with the agency. "The cold water is low in oxygen, well below what animals can tolerate," Koenig said. "The question we can't answer is why this has occurred. The truth is that nobody knows." The Associated Press contributed to this story. ---------------------- We are often alerted to unusual events by questions from the public. Heres one. Wed, 15 Jul 1998 22:47:43 -0500 To: gulftour@ocean.tamu.edu Subject: I have a question, Please help if you can???? In your opinion, what is the cause of all the zillions of tiny clams of every variety hatching out in the gulf area for st andrews bay to pensecola, florida.....the extra cold shore water temperatures, the thick green algae and the bottom fish feeding on the top of the waters and the crabs like there is a lack of oxygen on the ocean floor out from Panama City Beach Florida. I just returned from a vacation there and obsevered many unusal things not to mention there were absolutely no sea gulls to be seen the 4 days I was there. Lots of dead fish too. Ok I am not a scientist but I am an outdoor writer and know a good deal about eco systems. To me it seems the ocean floor has a loss of oxygen for some reason for crabs to feed on top of the water and the normally rock fish and bottom fish to be jumping on the service at about 20 feet deep and feeding on the top also. Could it be the volcanic ash from monserrat volcanos putting added nutrients into the sea for the clam hatching and algae or could it be the recent fires and run offs of the gulf area rivers with lots of ash and dead organic matters running into the sea to cause this or is there some other explaination??? I would like to do a story on this but can not figure out the reasons for it...therefore I am asking a scientist. If you could help me please answer soon. Sincerely, ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: [Fwd: I have a question, Please help if you can????] Sorry, I can't help with this one. You might suggest she contact Dr. Sneed Collard, at Univ West Florida. He is the biological oceanographer who is quoted in the Miami Herald article about the "Mysterious cool water killing fish along Florida Panhandle's beaches" and which got picked up in yesterday's Houston Chronicle. Dr. Collard's email address is "scollard@uwf.edu" and his office phone number is (850) 474-2751.