Fish deaths a mystery

Pilchards that washed up during a month of fish, dolphin and dog deaths did not die of the virus initially blamed for their deaths. MAF Biosecurity said tests on pilchards that washed up near the Whangaparaoa Peninsula and Martins Bay, north of Auckland, in July were negative for the herpes virus - the culprit blamed for previous large strandings of pilchards near Auckland. However the cause of the recent deaths may never be known.