It's worse than that, they're dead, Jim

dpaterso · Jan 8, 2007

You find a whole bunch of dead aquatic life washed up on the shore, who ya gonna call? An environmental agency? Which one, what's it's title? Or, who else?

-Derek

greglondon · Jan 8, 2007

free sushi!

alleycat · Jan 8, 2007

The seagulls.

It in US it would depend on where it was located and how serious it was. Anything major would get both the state agencies (Fish and Wildlife, plus environmental), as well as the Federal Environmenal Protection Agency (as well as whatever govenment agencies wanted to take a field trip that day).

Silver King · Jan 8, 2007

dpaterso said:
You find a whole bunch of dead aquatic life washed up on the shore, who ya gonna call?

This occurs with some regularity along the Gulf of Mexico. The source is commonly known as Red Tide (Karenia Brevis), a toxic algae bloom that, when present in high concentrations, kills unknown quantities of sea life throughout the food chain. The result is a stinking, rotting mess along miles of coastline.

As far as I know, you don't call anyone but simply help clean up the best you can.

Tish Davidson · Jan 8, 2007

In the US, if it involves marine mammals such as whales or seals, you'd probably call the closest marine mammal stranding center since marine mammals are protected by special federal laws. Often the stranding center will want to do a necropsy if there isn't too much decay to help determine the cause of death.

Del · Jan 8, 2007

Or you could tell your neighbor that he should call the cops. That way, the cops decide who to notify and if it isn't big enough to worry about then your neighbor can feel foolish.

dpaterso · Jan 8, 2007

Thanks for your replies, I got a few names and facts that will suit the story well.

-Derek

alleycat · Jan 8, 2007

You might get a better response if we knew what country this was set in.

Googling for the Alaskan oil spill (Exxon Valdez) might give you some ideas as well.

dpaterso · Jan 9, 2007

I appreciate that, I'm using a generic North America setting (and that includes Canada) 'cause it's liable to change depending on who I'm talking to, assuming anything comes out of discussions, etc. Just a couple of sensible-sounding titles like Fish and Wildlife will do nicely as placeholders for now, and may well stay in the final draft.

-Derek

alleycat · Jan 9, 2007

Most states have an environmental department (for example, here in Tennesse it's the Department of Environment and Conservation) as well as a Fish and Wildlife department. The EPA would be the major federal agency in charge of things like this (but a number of other agencies might be involves such as the Coast Guard or NOAA).

dpaterso · Jan 9, 2007

Good info, thanks. One of the leads reports the find while other characters want to suppress it; now I know what they're going to say.

-Derek

It's worse than that, they're dead, Jim

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

greglondon

Planet Wookie techno geek

alleycat

Still around

Silver King

Megalops Erectus

Tish Davidson

Del

Sky isn't falling, ground is rising

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

alleycat

Still around

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

alleycat

Still around

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels