Experts Stumped By Mass Bluefish Deaths In Long Island Waters

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) -- Hundreds of bluefish are turning up dead off the coast of Long Island _ and nobody knows why.

Researchers at the Marine Animal Disease Laboratory at Stony Brook University are investigating what could be killing hundreds of cocktail bluefish discovered this week in and around the Shinnecock Bay.

Professor Christopher Gobler of Stony Brook's School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences tells Newsday he's puzzled as to why just bluefish are turning up dead. The Shinnecock Reservation is also home to mackerels, sand sharks and dog fish. None of them are turning up dead.

The paper reports that most of the bluefish recovered are too decomposed to test, but a live one showed no obvious signs of disease.

Researchers expect preliminary test results later in July.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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