Pilchards were found washing up at Seacliff (near Kingston Park) on 10th February 2026. It was described as an ‘isolated incident’. Very little else (fish kill) was washing up at the time. This was during a period of pretty fine conditions with good water visibility.
According to Gillian Paice, a friend of hers was fishing at Seacliff on that day. He picked up the dead and dying pilchards for bait. He said that there were hundreds of pilchards washing up.
There were no reported threats such as dolphins, etc.. in the water at the time.
It has been suggested that the fish possibly became disorientated once closer to shore. When further out, their behaviour, according to some swimmers amongst them, there was nothing to suggest anything abnormal. When the school moved in closer to the shoreline, they suddenly started beaching themselves. We wonder whether or not this is normal, or something that can be attributed to the HAB and deoxygenated water.