Anyone who has been near the Inner Harbor downtown in the last couple of days has likely noticed a unique smell of summer in Charm City. That would be the scent of thousands of dead fish and crabs floating on the surface of the water caused by the recent drought, then heat wave. Reddit user “taurusrodeo” posted two photos from Fells Point on Wednesday, asking if anyone knew why it was happening. does anyone know why this happened? byu/taurusrodeo inbaltimore Commenters who guessed it had to do with the recent heat wave and higher-than-normal water temperatures were correct. Some even recalled the term “Pistachio Tide”, which is a phenomenon that occurs when the water turns a bright green color due to cooler nighttime temperatures triggering “thermal inversion” in the water. The heat wave was the culprit of this week’s fish kill, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Maryland Staff Scientist Gussie Maguire. Extreme heat fueled by climate change warms the temperature and lowers oxygen levels in the water. This leads to dead zones and fish kills in the Bay and its tributaries. Photo via WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore’s Facebook page. “Summer is a stressful time to be a fish in the Bay,” Maguire said. “Most of our native species prefer cooler, more moderate water temperatures. But extreme weather and climate change are threatening those ideal conditions and making life for fish much more dire.” Striped bass (or rockfish) is a prime example of this. In the summertime, heat-induced stress kills many striped bass after being caught and released. That is why the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) changed its policy to close striped bass fishing for the entire month of August. The DNR also advises anglers to check their striped bass forecast and avoid targeting rockfish if it is above 90 degrees outside. In the upper, freshwater parts of the watershed, native brook trout need stream temperatures below 70 degrees to survive. Those conditions are threatened during hot summer days and stormwater runoff makes things worse. Intense evening storms wash pollution directly from hot pavement and dry land into local waterways. There are ways to help these fish and to protect their habitats, however. CBF recommends the following three approaches: Reducing stormwater pollution that runs off roads, sidewalks, and land into local waterways. This challenge is worsening from more intense weather from climate change — especially current drought conditions followed by intense rainstorms and flash flooding.  Prioritizing trees along rivers and streams. Planting and protecting forest buffers along our waterways not only help absorb and reduce polluted runoff but also keeps water cool by providing shade.  Giving striped bass a break during hot summer months. Anglers can use this time to target other species that have zero summer fishing restrictions, such as invasive blue catfish.  “Wildlife is incredibly resilient, but they sometimes need a helping hand,” Maguire continued. “As extreme heat and intense summer storms become more common, let’s not forget about our fish friends and help them however we can.” Recent DNR monitoring showed higher levels of dissolved oxygen in the Bay earlier in the summer, but those were likely from drought conditions. July’s consistent heat and intense storms are taking their toll. As the heat continues, CBF is urging Chesapeake Bay states, local jurisdictions, and residents to do their part to keep waters cool and avoid the heat stress that can harm the Bay’s fish and other wildlife. ...read more read less