A large quantity of dead sardines, thousands of tons, were found on the beach of Hakodate on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. The phenomenon, as reported by the Associated Press, which occurred Thursday morning, left an extensive cover of fish along a kilometer of beach, surprising local residents.
Although some residents have collected the fish to sell or consume, the municipality has warned them not to eat it. Takashi Fujioka, a researcher at the Hakodate Fisheries Research Institute, speculated that the causes could be related to escape from larger predators, a lack of oxygen in a dense school, or a sudden migration into cold waters.
Alarm for dead rotting fish
He also expressed concern about the environmental impact, as rotting dead fish could reduce oxygen levels in the water, affecting the marine environment. Fujioka advised against eating the fish due to uncertainty over the causes of the event.