Overview
- The Maryland Department of the Environment documented roughly 1,000 dead menhaden and 126 blue crabs along the Canton Waterfront to South Ann Street area, with some carcasses seen near the Domino Sugar plant.
- MDE officials linked the kill to low dissolved oxygen caused by a localized sulfur‑bacteria bloom called a pistachio tide, which leaves a green sheen, gives off a sulfur odor, and uses oxygen as it breaks down.
- This July 8 event follows multiple large die‑offs across 2025 when MDE recorded separate kills of about 61,000, 25,000, and 120,000 fish, showing a recurring water‑quality problem concentrated in specific harbor hotspots.
- Menhaden are a key forage species for birds and larger fish, so repeated losses at this scale could ripple through the local food web and harm wildlife that rely on them for food.
- No new cleanup orders or remediation steps were reported in the coverage, and officials and local groups say targeted monitoring of identified hotspot areas will be needed to track and respond to future blooms.