Mass herring kill found by DFO C&P officers in Southwest Nova Scotia, 28 December 2016. Photo: DFO Maritimes / Twitter

By Azadeh Ansari and Dave Alsup
30 December 2016 (CNN) – The carcasses of thousands of sea creatures have mysteriously washed up on the western coast of Nova Scotia. As many as 20,000 fish, lobsters, starfish, scallops, crabs and other animals have turned up dead at Savory Park, Canadian authorities said. And they have no idea why. Canada’s Fisheries and Oceans department tweeted images of the massive cross-species graveyard. Environmental officials are testing the water for pesticides and oxygen levels for possible clues. As a precaution, they’re warning consumers to only buy seafood from authorized vendors. “Dead fish found on shore should not be collected by general public,” the Fisheries and Oceans department tweeted. “Consumers should only purchase from licensed harvesters/sellers.” [more]

Up to 20,000 dead fish, other animals wash up on Nova Scotia coast