The thousands of herring that were found dead in Kolgrafafjörður, West Iceland, in early December are causing a stink.

Archive photo: Páll Stefánsson/Iceland Review.

The fish died of a lack of oxygen, along with other factors, according to preliminary results of the Icelandic Marine Research Institute’s testing which showed that close to ten percent of the herring in the innermost part of the fjord, or 25,000-30,000 tons died.

Farmer at the nearby farm of Eiði, Bjarni Sigurbjörnsson, told Skessuhorn that when the wind blows from the east, the rotting fish can be smelt. The man described the smell as unbearable.

According to Skessuhorn, the authorities told Bjarni that he would have to clean up the fish himself if the smell is bothering him.

As reported earlier, the low oxygen levels are thought to have been caused by a landfill and bridge across Kolgrafafjörður, constructed in December 2004.

The oxygen level in the inner fjord is thought to have dropped significantly when the large school of herring entered it.

The Marine Research Institute is continuing to monitor the herring in the area and the environmental conditions in the fjord.

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ZR