Dead fish in San Francisco Bay Area blamed on toxic red tide

By TERRY CHEA and OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ
Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — An unprecedented red tide in the San Francisco Bay Area is killing thousands of fish and other marine life whose carcasses are washing ashore, creating a foul odor that experts say could get worse during this weekend’s expected heat wave. At Oakland’s Lake Merritt, a popular spot with joggers, walkers and those looking to be in nature, crews on Wednesday began removing dead crabs, bat rays, striped bass and other fish that began piling up on its rocky shores over the weekend. The fish die-off at Lake Merritt and at spots throughout the Bay Area may be due to a harmful algae bloom that has been spreading across the bay since late July. Dead fish started piling up on shores and beaches last week.