BOISE, Idaho — Idaho has had a hotter than normal summer, with this year setting the record for the highest number of days with triple-digit temperatures in the state. That number currently sits at 22 days.
While the summer is not over yet, Idahoans have air-conditioned buildings they can go into to cool off. Wild animals, however, do not have as many options for staying cool in the record heat. For some of them, the heat can be deadly.
That is the current situation at the shores of Lake Lowell in Nampa, where one viewer captured a video of dead fish along the shoreline. He said he was going for a walk near Gotts Point and was alerted to the sight after smelling something very unpleasant.
After receiving the video, KTVB reached out to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) to ask if they knew what could be contributing to the death of fish in that area. IDFG said it is the high temperatures, which affect the temperature of the water, that are causing the health of the fish to decline, which actually happens every year.
"When you have warm water and lots of nutrients, and things like that, a lot of fish get stressed," Art Butts, IDFG SW Regional Fishery Manager said. "So it's an annual period this time of year, in August and late summer, that we start seeing fish die off in different ponds or lakes or things like that."
The effects are not just affecting carp, bass and other small fish; it is also affecting the sturgeon in part of the CJ Strike Reservoir, south of Mountain Home, prompting IDFG to close the sturgeon fishing in the Snake River between Canyon Creek and Rattlesnake Creek Friday.
The closure will be in effect until September 25, or until the conditions improve to an acceptable level.
Oxygen levels are low and the water temperatures are high, which is likely what is causing the fish to die, according to Art.
"Over the last several weeks, we identified 20 large individuals that have died," Art said. "This is pretty concerning when you've got fish that live to be 50-70 years old. That's not easily replaced compared to other species.
However, Art said the decision to close fishing in that area was not an easy one.
"That was a really tough decision on behalf of our agency. We really don't want to limit the ability to go fishing and things like that," Art said. "This was really an unprecedented situation we found ourselves in at CJ Strike."
Fish and Game said the goal of the closure is to reduce the amount of stress on the sturgeon, while conditions are endangering them. Despite that explanation, some people on social media are blaming the outfitters and fishing guides in the area.
Brett Jones with Jones Sportfishing told KTVB what he has experienced since the closure.
"We've been dealing with a lot of repercussions from the general public. They're basically coming straight out at us outfitters and saying 'this is your guys' fault'," Jones said. "I can assure you that every single guide and active outfitters out there, we go above and beyond on the handling of these fish. These fish mean a lot more to us than just a thrill ride. They are what puts food on the table for our families. Every time there's an incident with one of these fish, it hurts really really deep."
"It's just kind of insane that people would look at us as the fault for this when we're absolutely thinking of the fish's health, above any sort of paycheck we could ever make."
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