Hundreds of dead fish washed into a marina in Keansburg, New Jersey, which followed a massive fish kill in a nearby creek.

According to reports the 3-to-4-inch dead fish have completely surrounded many boats.

Bob Considine of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said, “We’re talking hundreds of thousands of fish, if not millions of fish,” .

The DEP said that the type of fish that washed into the marina over the past couple of days is known as a peanut bunker. They were most likely to be chased into the marina off of Laurel Avenue by either blue fish or skates in Raritan Bay.

All the peanut bunker fish died due to low oxygen levels in the marina.

Considine said, “Basically, there wasn’t enough oxygen in the water to sustain them” .

The dead fish have been spreading a pungent smell across the area.

one resident said, “It’s bad, it’s enough to gag you. It smells like a sewer plant backed up and let out in the water.”

Frank Dean managed a couple of marinas in Keansburg. He said that the combination of a million dead fish and mid-August temperatures has made for a nasty, stinky brew.

He told, “You know if you leave fish in the garbage can for a couple of days and it’s hot out, it’s going to smell. Well that’s the smell.”

By Prakriti Neogi