Lamoure residents are dealing with a fishy situation.
Dead fish have popped up along the river that runs through their town and they want to know why.
Connie Bitz and her son Kasey are very familiar with the James river, as it runs right through their property located just south of Lamoure.
"It's really low," says Bitz.
But the water level isn't the only thing they've noticed that's different lately.
"My husband was haying and he noticed a few fish along the banks," says Bitz.
At first the Bitz's didn't think much of it, just a few dead fish along the shore. But then shortly after that, hundreds of them started popping up along the banks.
"The Game and Fish told us there could be 300-400 within every mile," says Bitz.
And the fish that are dying aren't small. They are mostly northerns about 14 to 15 pounds.
"You wonder why? What would cause them to die?" says Bitz.
According to officials with the North Dakota game and fish,they've had reports of dead fish in the James river all the way from Lamoure to Oakes. The reason? They believe it's because of the heat.
They say northerns especially can't survive in water warmer than 85 degrees.
For the Bitz's they just hope if it is the heat, things start to cool down soon, so this situation here doesn't get much worse.
"You have to think what other wildlife could be affected," says Bitz.
And North Dakota Game and Fish officials say it's not just the James river with dead fish, they've also had reports in Hankinson.
They say there could be a lot more fish popping up with in the next few days because of the hot weather.
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