Hundreds of fish die in lake Independence, Minnesota, USA |

Boaters flocking to one west-metro lake on the busy holiday weekend found hundreds of dead pan fish washing ashore.

An estimated 500 to 1,000 dead crappies were reported at the boat access on Lake Independence in Maple Plain over the long Memorial Day weekend.

And while fisheries experts from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will investigate the issue on Tuesday, DNR leaders say boaters shouldn’t be alarmed.

“Every spring we get this,” said DNR Lt. Jackie Glaser, who supervises conservation officers who patrol west-metro lakes. “We’re not concerned at this point.”

She said it’s likely that the small pan fish were affected by the rising temperatures in the past week. Every spring, fish in area lakes are affected by the quick increase in water temperature, and about 50 to 100 fish die in every lake, Glaser said.

This year, with the significant fish kill in Lake Independence affecting a larger than usual number of fish, Glaser said the DNR will take a closer look at the issue this week.

The lake is located next to Baker Park Reserve and the boat access is owned by the Three Rivers Park District. Glaser said the park district and DNR would work together to clean up the dead fish as soon as possible.

Courtesy of startribune.com

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