Approximately 1.9 million fish were found washed-up along the southern shoreline of the Neuse River from Black Beacon Point to Carolina Pines in Craven County, a distance of about 10 miles.

The Division of Water Quality was notified of the fish kill through calls from the public. The fish - juvenile Atlantic Menhaden - were 2-6 inches long. No sores or lesions were observed.

There are two lines, or wracks, of dead fish along the southern shoreline and two stages of fish decay. Fish in one wrack appear to have died 2-3 days ago, while those in the other appear to have died within the last 24 hours.

According to DWQ staff, weather conditions may have caused an upwelling event similar to the recent Aug. 21 fish kill. For the past several days, wind velocities averaging a consistent 10-25 miles per hour have blown across the river from north to south. The wind pushes the surface water toward the other shore, pulling up deeper water in its place. The deeper parts of the river do not carry as much oxygen due to the stratification caused by salty water. Fish swimming in the area during the upwelling event are caught in this zone - which contain low levels of oxygen - and die.

Dead fish will most likely continue to float from the north side of the river towards the south shore if the north winds continue bringing up low-oxygen waters to the surface.

Water samples were collected and will be sent to the division's laboratory in Raleigh for analysis.