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r <br />10 RESOURCE PUBLICATION 177, 1990 <br />CHAPTER 3 <br />the Scene <br />Fred P. Meyer and Roger L. Herman <br />Introduction <br />In some instances, the cause of a fish kill is readi- <br />ly apparent (e.g., when an obvious toxic discharge <br />is killing fish). The course of action then is to termi- <br />nate the cause, document the situation, gather evi- <br />dence, and charge the perpetrator. Because most <br />fish kills are observed after the fact, it is usually <br />necessary to conduct the type of investigation de- <br />scribed in this chapter. <br />What to Look For <br />The first few hours after an investigator's arrival <br />on the scene of a fish kill may be critical. It is ex- <br />tremely important that as much information as <br />possible be collected as quickly as possible. Since the <br />investigator is often working alone, it is vital that <br />time be used effectively to gather the information and <br />collect the samples that are likely to contribute most <br />toward determination of the cause of the fish kill. <br /> <br />The presence of dead fish is often the first indication of a serious problem in the environment. (Photo courtesy of <br />the Missouri Department of Conservation.)