LMRK Investigates Massive Fish Kill in Pearl River Basin

The Temple-Inland Inc. paper mill in Bogalusa, LA discharged chemical laden effluent into the Pearl River late last week resulting in a fish kill. On Tuesday, August 16, 2011 Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper was contacted by Jerry Wagnon, a concerned citizen and 30 year veteran of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (retired). I could tell by the tone of his voice that Jerry was quite upset. Jerry explained to me what he was seeing happen with the fish kill. He relayed to me that the fish kill was much more severe than was being reported at the time and that it appeared to him that the state agencies were not investigating the incident in an adequate manner. Jerry graciously offered for he and his friend and Pearl River Basin resident Denty Crawford to take us out and see what was going on first hand. We arranged to meet at 9:00a.m. Wednesday August 17, 2011 at Davis Landing near the city of Pearl River, La. Denty and Jerry picked myself and LMRK Media Master Jeffrey Dubinsky up in Denty's aluminum fishing boat. Denty piloted us on a short ride up to the property he owns between West Pearl River and Porters Bayou. It took only a minute or two to begin to see the carnage. At first it was a few fish here and there hung up near the bank of Pearl River but once we got into Porters Bayou it quickly became clogged by large rafts of dead fish and clams. There were every kind of fish that you would expect to find. Channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish <b>...</b>
pearl river fish kill paper mill Bogalusa riverkeeper waterkeeper






























