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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (July 3, 2001)
Dead anchovies fill harbor 0re90n c'Ws BROOKINGS — Boats have been replaced by piles of dead, stinking fish this summer as this southern coastal town suffers through its first anchovy die-off in at least two decades. Fish experts said such an event is rare. Brookings has only seen three mass deaths in more than 30 years, said Jim Welter, a fishing ad viser for the Port of Brookings. Last month, millions of the sil very 6-inch fish sank to the bottom of Brookings Harbor and rose to the surface as blackened corpses, where pelicans, cormorants, and seagulls feasted on them. Stacks of rotting fish three feet deep prevented some boats from mooring in their usual docks. More massive die-offs are expected, Wel ter said. Boats with inboard motors have had their engines clogged by the slippery remains and U.S. Coast Guard vessels in Brookings have switched to outboard motors to avoid problems, said Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark Dilenge. Anchovy die-offs usually occur after seasons favorable to anchovy breeding. Anchovies, which thrive in cold, nutrient-rich water, seek out places such as Brookings Har bor to feed and spawn. When that happens, large congre gations of fish mean “that there are too many fish for the oxygen in the water,” Welter said. “It happens anywhere where so many fish get together and use up all the oxygen.” Welter said this year’s dry weather could have compounded the problem because natural rain run-off helps aerate the water. The Port of Brookings plans to install an aerator where the first mass of anchovies died to help keep fish alive, he said. Russ Crabtree, the port’s execu tive director, said the fish smell is only bad at certain times of the day — when it is hot and at low tide. Brookings draws about 750,000 tourists every summer, but resi dents aren’t worried that the piles of fish will hurt business. “This is a working harbor,” said Crabtree. “We have a lot of attrac tions like music, public board walks, specialty shops and beauti ful beaches, but we’ve also got a fish processing plant and sport fishermen who work out of here.” The Associated Press Mannix announces bid for governor BEND — Former state Rep. Kevin Mannix announced Saturday he would seek the Republican nomina tion for governor in 2002. “We will begin this adventure to gether today,” Mannix told cheering members of the state party’s central committee at its meeting in Bend. A conservative Salem lawyer, Man nix said he will make an official an nouncement July 6 that he has entered the race and formed a committee to raise campaign funds. But he said Sat urday that he wanted to make his in tentions known to supporters. Mannix’s announcement compli cates a primary race that already in cludes state Labor Commissioner Jack Roberts and Portland lawyer Ron Sax ton. Mannix, who made a reputation in Salem as a tough-on-crime legisla tor, is the oniy GOP candidate op posed to abortion rights. His candidacy will likely draw support from the strong anti-abor tion camp within the state party and could make for a bitterly contested primary. Mannix, however, down played the notion that his candida cy would spark a contentious race. There is the question of whether a staunch conservative can carry a state that hasn’t voted a Republican into the governor’s mansion since Victor Atiyeh was re-elected in 1982. Mannix, who lost a bid for attorney general last year, said he wasn’t wor ried about his ability to be elected. The Associated Press House approves rebate relief bill SALEM — Oregonians would be able to keep their federal tax rebate checks out of the hands of state tax Turn to Oregon briefs, page 4 Heat continued from page 1 stumps protruding from the water. But Henry said the valley’s wa terways are still open for boating, and almost all lakes and reservoirs have low-water ramps specifically for these kind of situations. He said the Blue River, Cougar and Fern Ridge waterways may be come inaccessible to boaters as the summer progresses because they don’t have low-water ramps, and water levels certainly won’t rise during the next three months, but most places will remain open all summer. Part of the reason water levels have not dipped to critical levels is June’s odd weather. Although May soaked the valley in sunshine, June was slightly wetter than average, said Chris Hannan, a manager at the Oregon Climate Service. She said the nighttime lows were espe cially chilly during the month as well. Hannan said Oregon had the sec ond driest winter on record, but June’s overcast skies mended some of the damage. Although the rain did pour occasionally last month, she said the cloudy skies helped the most because the clouds reduce evaporation. June’s mark of 5.5 inches was .5 inches less than nor mal for the month. Hannan added that unseasonable weather during every season of the year is not a new phenomenon in Oregon. “We rarely get a ‘normal’ month,” she said. “It tends to flip flop. We aren’t setting any records on anything we haven’t seen be fore.” She said Wednesday’s 90-degree predicted high is the perfect exam New & Used Vinyl’s CD’s & Tapes 258 E. 13th Eugene 342-7975 Jessie Swimeley Emerald Sounds of splashing and laughter filled the afternoon air as many people tried to escape the midday heat at the newly remodeled Amazon Pool at 26th and Hilyard. Long lines for the slides didn t stop the happy swimmers from enjoying the summer day. Forecasters anticipate hot weather for the remainder of the week. pie, as the temperature will sud denly buck the recent trend of cloudy skies for Fourth of July pa rades, picnics and fireworks shows. “There’s the old joke that sum mer in Oregon doesn’t start until July 5,” she said. rsmmnrn. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm While many retreat to lakes or streams when the heat rises, plenty of people grab their towels and head for public pools. Heather O’Leary, who works at the newly remodeled Amazon Pool, said lines could form this week as swim 515 High St Eugene 48s-4n4 NATURAL FIBER CLOTHING THE FLAXLINE V CUT LOOSE TWO STAR DOG S AMANDA GRAY V TIBETAN TRADERS V KASHI & MORE Locally owned fmce 1991....We support FAIR TRADE OPEN MON-SAT 10-6 & SUN U S V mers of all ages push the pool’s 1,100-person capacity limit. She sug gested that people arrive between 1:30 and 1:45 p.m. to ensure they get in for the 2-5 p.m. open swim held Monday through Friday. “Most of the time, when people have to wait, they get in eventual ly,” she said. The Oregon Climate Service is reporting a chance of some clouds later in the week that could push high temperatures down into the 75-degree range. 741-4676 Free applications and listings 24 hours at 637 B Street, downtown Springfield Sunset Arms Apartments, Southeast Eugene 3530 W. Amazon, 434-6179.1 bedroom $455 484 W. 13th #A, tri-plex...2 bedroom $495 1647 Mill #3..„.2 bedroom $525 Willowbrook Apartments, West Eugene 29840 Willow Creek, 342-8275.2 bedroom $575 Mill Race Apartments, behind Track Town Pizza 1805 Garden Ave, 344-5695.2 bedroom $575 Prague Apartments, Great Value!!! 2447 Roosevelt Blvd, 689-7104.3 bedroom $595 175 N. Grand, house.2+ bedroom $750 www. emeraldpm. com EMERALD Property M n r 4 j ( ■ ni t, Inc.
