The Deafening Silence Surrounding Fish Kills

By Chris Veritas

23 million Salmon died this year in Chile due to Algae blooms.

4.5 Million fish of all stripes died in a river in Mexico, and nobody knows why.

220,000 pounds of fish died recently in China. 220,000 pounds. Let that sink in.

And here in NC, there is an enormous problem at the Neuse River. According to local sources, as many as One Billion fish have died in the “Noose”. That may seem outrageous, but 6.5. million fish washed ashore this year in a single day.

Mass fish deaths are being reported all over the world. Really, there are too many accounts to mention. But fish are not the only animals dying. More than a million birds and mammals die yearly from eating plastic. And noise pollution in the oceans is causing whales and dolphins to essentially go crazy, beaching themselves to get away from our machines.

Where fish kills seem to happen in the greatest numbers, the noise level surrounding bombastic campaigns rattles every ear drum; imprecations leveled at Syria saturate the air-waves; and the debate over bathrooms echoes ad nauseam. Meanwhile, a deafening silence surrounds the mass death of aquatic life.

Granted, there is some internet coverage provided by main stream news sources. But that’s about as far as it goes.

If Television covers the phenomena, it will be local coverage, with citizens expressing outrage, and a local anchor nodding with studied compassion. As everyone knows, a story has to make the leap to national Television to be taken seriously by the masses. Until it appears digitally, it’s like it hasn’t happened..

The majority of fish kill coverage comes from alternative media sources. But you already knew that! That the main stream would neglect to cover fish kills is all the more striking, considering a chief element of the food supply is at risk. Not to mention the drinking water. But as far as water is concerned, we’ve been putting up with aquatic pollution for decades. It was only a matter of time before the life went out of the water. What did we think was going to happen, that fairies were going to rescue us? The media’s momentary outrage notwithstanding, why haven’t we as human beings demanded change? Why do we put up with so much garbage?