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As temperatures rise, fish susceptible to high temperatures are finding it harder to thrive in lakes, leading to fish deaths across Minnesota. 

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources received reports of 65 fish kills from July 16 to July 20. “Anglers should be aware that fish are stressed due to warm water temperatures and low dissolved oxygen availability,” 

Northern pike are especially sensitive to temperatures above 84 degrees, “so anything above that for a prolonged period of time and we start to see issues with them getting stressed out and potentially dying if they can’t get to cooler thermal refuges,” Isaiah Tolo, the DNR’s fish health supervisor, told MPR News.

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As temperatures rise, northern pike and other fish susceptible to high temperatures are finding it harder to thrive in lakes, leading to fish deaths across the state. 

As temperatures rise, fish susceptible to high temperatures are finding it harder to thrive in lakes, leading to fish deaths across the state. 

Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources has reported a number of fish kills during the July heatwave. From July 16th through July 20th, 65 fish mortality events occurred, leaving beaches with dead fish. 

Fish are dying due to July heat wave

Dead fish float to the surface of a lake.

July heat wave leads to significant fish kills in Minnesota

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