ALBANY - The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is investigating the deaths of mudpuppies and fish washing up on the shores of Lake Erie.

Mudpuppies, an aquatic salamander, along with smallmouth bass, catfish and sheephead are among the species that have been found dead at locations including Point Gratiot, Sunset Bay, Evangola State Park and Sturgeon Point.

The mudpuppy and fish die-offs can be caused by a number of factors, such as water temperature changes or various diseases. DEC has collected a mudpuppy sample and has sent it to a lab for analysis and to potentially determine a cause of death.

Based on the characteristics of the species found to date, there is the potential that the mudpuppy and fish deaths are being caused by Type E botulism toxin, a poison produced by by Clostridium botulinum. The bacterium is common in the environment and can produce harmful levels of botulism toxin under some conditions. This specific strain of botulism has affected fish, birds and other species in Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in recent years. The disease results from the ingestion of the toxin produced by the botulism bacterium and can be harmful to humans who eat birds or fish that have been poisoned by this toxin.

There have been no reports of any human illnesses associated with this recent mudpuppy and fish die-off.

DEC is continuing to gather sick and dead fish and other species to check for botulism and other potential diseases. The public is urged to contact DEC if they discover any dead wildlife along the lake shore by calling DEC's Fish and Wildlife office in Buffalo at 851-7010 or Allegany at 372-0645.

Although botulism has not been confirmed, DEC is encouraging the public to take certain steps to help reduce the potential of the disease to harm humans. Pet owners should prevent their animals from ingesting or having contact with dead wildlife along the shore, as the disease could also harm pets. People are not at risk for botulism when swimming in areas where fish kills have occurred; however, swimmers should avoid swimming in water where there are large numbers of dead fish. Hunters and anglers should always take the following precautions for preparing all fish and waterfowl:

n Harvest only fish and waterfowl that act and look healthy

n Wear rubber or plastic protective gloves while filleting, field dressing, skinning or butchering birds, fish or wildlife. Remove and discard intestines soon after harvest and avoid direct contact with intestinal contents

n Wash hands, utensils and work surfaces before and after handling any raw food, including fish and game meat

n Keep fish and game cool (below 45 degrees Fahrenheit/7 degrees Celsius) until filleted or butchered, and then refrigerate or freeze; and cook fish and other seafood to an internal temperature (in the thickest part) of 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). Cook game birds to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit/74 degrees Celsius.