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Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 153, 16 July 1937, Page 7

Simonstown (South Africa) has been puzzled by the mysterious mortality of iish in the Naval Basin. Fish have becu dying wholesale in the confiuod waters Crawfish and sea cats (small octopusee) have been vainly trying to escape the death of the sea bed by climbidg up the quay walls, but they have all fallen baek to die, A number of sea cats even tried to climb up the sides of the flagwhip H.M.S. Amphion, but they wero very sick sea cats, and did not climb far bcfore they dropped into the doadly waters from which they were trying to escape. A diver sent down to investigate reported that dead fish were lying to a depth of four feet on the floor of the basin. Latei tho fish began to rise to the surfaco, and the naval authoritics, anxious to abate the nuisance, cngaged False Bay fishermcn to clear thcm away with their Seino nets. Theso fishermen, who think nothijjg of cutting up a stranded whale (one of the smelliest jobs in the world), swcpt up onc netful of dead fish and then gave up the job. The dead fish omit what is described as a "bluo gae," whjeh has defcated even the fishr crmon and tho fish remain in possession o'f the naval station. One thcory tb accoqnt for the death of the fish js that thero hag been a submarine discharge of gas; another is that too many emall fish crowded into thc basin and died of suffocation.