By K. NANCOO-RUSSELL

Freeport News Reporter

An alarming discovery of dozens of dead seagulls in the waters off East End in the vicinity of Sweetings Cay and on nesting grounds off Lightbourne Cay left questions unanswered as to the cause of this unnatural occurrence.

The Department of Env-ironmental Health Services (DEHS) issued a statement on Tuesday, confirming that they had received reports about the incident on Monday.

Mike Wallace, chief public analyst at the DEHS said that up to press time, the Department has not seen or collected any carcasses, but said eyewitnesses described the birds as not having any overt signs of trauma.

Wallace noted that the DEHS has passed on the information to the Director of the Department of Agricu-lture, with recommendations for future actions in the event that there are additional sightings.

"We have, and do, herewith request that if there are fresh sightings, that we be called immediately so as to have a chance to collect fresh carcasses that we can pass on to the Department of Agricul-ture for review," stated Wallace.

The chief analyst added that there have been such reports in past years, and that the Department will continue to respond with the intent of determining the causes of incidents.

"We continue to rely on local interests, and knowledge, as lodged in the Grand Bahama community of bird watchers, in investigations of such environmental events, and we do so at this time," he said.

When The Freeport News contacted the Department of Agriculture to find out what action was taken to implement the measures recommended by the DEHS, reporters were referred to the Director in New Providence.

However, attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.

Yesterday evening, The Freeport News received yet another eyewitness report of the dead birds by a caller who said that her husband discovered one floating in waters in the Lucayan waterway while he was out fishing on his boat.