Something smells fishy around Boothbay Harbor. Residents have reported hundreds of dead pogies washing ashore for the past few weeks, causing an unsightly scene, and a worse stench. Scientists do not have a verified explanation yet, but they do not suspect there is reason for alarm. 

"This is the only time we've seen an issue with pogies since we've lived here,” said Kimberley Byrd, who has lived in west Boothbay Harbor about 10 years. “For the last month, on and off, it's been pretty consistent that we've had 50, 100, a couple hundred dead fish." 

Byrd reported seeing hundreds of dead pogies by their property on the morning of Aug. 23. They have been showing up almost once a week for the past few weeks, according to Byrd and a neighbor. The issue is not limited to Boothbay Harbor. Ann Philips said her husband estimated around 120 dead fish around Linekin Bay, and she said they have also been by Cabbage and Oak islands. Others reported the issue near Bayville and Townsend Gut. Longtime residents said the events are reminiscent of similar deaths around 10 years ago. 

Pogies, also known as menhaden, are an important part of the ecosystem and Maine's economy, according to Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR). 

“Menhaden have become the primary lobster bait for the lobster fishery, which is of course a very important economic engine in the state of Maine,” said Matthew Cieri, lead scientist on menhaden and herring for DMR. “On an ecosystem level ... they're an important natural resource for a lot of the important predators, mammals and birds in the area. So, it's kind of like a feast for all of these different animals when the menhaden show up.” 

Residents have expressed concern over possible reasons for the deaths. Cieri, who works in Boothbay Harbor, said he has also been getting reports. He said the DMR is investigating but does not have a scientifically confirmed explanation yet. According to the DMR, there is no public health risk. However, the agency urges people to use common sense and for them, and their pets, to avoid accumulations of dead fish.

At the forefront of residents’ concerns is a toxin or a hazardous event, which Cieri said is unlikely. 

"I would be surprised if that was really the case,” he said. “It would have affected way more than just menhaden, in general, and we certainly would have heard something from our lobster fishery. This is relatively natural for Atlantic menhaden. They die really easily … it’s pretty regular for them to die in fairly large numbers on a regular basis due to multiple different causes." 

According to Cieri, most of the possible explanations are natural. He said it is typical for predators to drive the fish to shore and pogies are a food source for tuna and whales, which have recently been fairly close to land. Longtime residents recalled thousands of dead pogies driven to shore by bluefish in the 1980s. Recent humpback whale sightings near Southport and Wiscasset could even be related, Cieri said.  

Cieri said the pogie population is high, according to the last assessment in August 2022, and seems to be concentrated in the Midcoast and further north and east. "There's probably millions of menhaden in and around this area right now,” he said.   

Pogie populations can become so large, they get corralled and suck the oxygen out of the water, according to Cieri. However, while possible, he said it is a rare occurrence in Maine because our waters are resistant to oxygen depletion. He said a disease could also be killing off the fish, but without sampling and testing the fish for oxygen death or some disease, he could not confirm.  

However, Cieri said the most prevalent cause is likely related to fishing. He said there are times when fishermen do not net all the menhaden in a school; sometimes they get their limit, sometimes the fish do not make it back into their hole and they wash ashore, and it is easy to lose a few bushels of pogies when they try to surround a school with a net.

Jeanne Fuller runs Harbor Bait in Boothbay Harbor and does business with local fishermen. She said she is not sure what is causing the issue but could not rule out predators such as bluefish, which people have recently been catching, or fishing activity. She said there have been many out-of-town fishing boats this season so crowding, coupled with recent rough water conditions, could lead to unintended spillage.

"I know for the most part they don't like that stuff to happen because this is their livelihood and they’re trying to keep things clean," Fuller said. "Obviously, they are not doing it on purpose."

Without more scientific sampling and investigation, Cieri said he could not confirm an explanation.  

"In general, the likely cause seems to be some sort of spillage from fishing,” he said. “And I know that there have been a lot of pogies in the area and a lot of fishing activity too. So, that would be my primary suspect. But it would be almost impossible to tell without getting an actual sample of those dead fish."