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Local News
Apr 29, 2026
'large' Fish Kill In Miami-Erie Canal Investigated In Auglaize County
'LARGE' FISH KILL IN MIAMI-ERIE CANAL INVESTIGATED IN AUGLAIZE COUNTY
By Tony Heitmeyer
NEW BREMEN, Ohio — Officials from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and the Auglaize County Emergency Management Agency investigated a 'large' fish kill in the Miami-Erie Canal in the Village of New Bremen on Wednesday afternoon.
Area residents reported seeing a large number of fish floating in the canal's water, south of Plum Street. One New Bremen resident, who didn't want to be identified, said he stopped counting at 60, when he and his wife were walking along a path bordering the canal on Tuesday. He said there were dozens of dead carp and other species floating on the top, and others at the surface gasping for air. ODNR took a count of the dead fish, which is standard practice when investigating a large fish kill.
Water samples were collected and tested from several spots along the historic waterway on Wednesday, and no contaminants were found, according to Auglaize EMA director Troy Anderson. He suspected the fish kill may have been caused by a natural process called turnover, triggered by recent heavy rainfall in the area. He added residents shouldn't be alarmed if they see additional dead fish in the canal. However, to ensure there wasn't an unknown release into the water, additional testing is being conducted, and the exact cause remains under investigation.
