Hot water killed hundreds of thousands of fish on Long Island-See why?

Thousands of dead fish are seen on a North Carolina beach in 2005. Rising water temperatures and a spike in algae blooms led to a large fish kill last year on Long Island.

Scientists have identified causes of large fish kills in Long Island’s Peconic River last summer, where roughly 300,000 adult Atlantic Menhaden died.

The study by state and Suffolk County officials and Stony Brook and Cornell universities says rising water temperatures and a spike in algae blooms, spurred by increased nitrogen levels, depleted oxygen and caused many fish to suffocate.

Additional factors include predatory blue fish blocking the river’s mouth and a virus.

The fish kills occurred at three locations along the two-mile tidal portion of the river in May and June.