Baltimore Harbors Shocked By Green Water & Dead Fish

If you saw the harbor looking a little off this weekend, you weren’t trippin’. Parts of Canton, Fells Point, and Locust Point turned green on Friday as hundreds of dead fish and crabs floated to the surface and the scene had people shook.

According to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), the problem comes down to the weather. Investigators counted at least 200 dead crabs and more than 100 dead fish after oxygen levels in the water suddenly dropped. When there’s not enough sunlight and the temperatures swing between hot days and cool nights, oxygen in the water takes a hit and wildlife can’t survive it.

Locals couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

“I didn’t really notice them until my sister told me, but there’s a lot, and they’re just floating up on the shore, on the rocks,” said Canton resident Brittany Tremble. Her sister Empress added, “That’s insane… honestly, I didn’t expect to see that many. A little bit of a tragedy, I think.”

On top of the fish kill, the water itself turned green with what officials call a pistachio tide. That’s when sulfur bacteria from the bottom of the harbor rises up to the surface, giving the water a green tint while creating an unstable environment for sea life. It usually happens in the fall, but MDE says this one could spread along more of Maryland’s coast, and maybe even other states in the coming days.

Baltimore has seen this before. A similar pistachio tide hit the harbor in September 2024, also caused by temperature changes. While some residents called it “tragic,” others just chalked it up to nature doing its thing.

Would you still be down to hit the waterfront with all this going on? 👀