October 6, 2015 โ Vessels on the Houston Ship Channel faced big problems this summer from the tiniest of traffic hazards: finger-long fish called menhaden, which showed up in record-size schools and temporarily idled at least 17 ships.
Weather patterns the last several years helped the menhaden population in the channel grow to 10 times its typical size, making it more likely the young fish get sucked into the shipsโ filter systems that suck in seawater to cool off the engines. When they get lodged in high enough numbers, they can shut down an engine.
โItโs a mess,โ said Houston Pilot Capt. Clint Winegar, who sat aboard at least one ship waiting for the crew to clear its filter before he could navigate it through the Ship Channel. โItโs amazing how much fish get caught in those strainers.โ
When engines fail, pilots use towboats to control the ships, and all other vessels in the channel have to slow down to avoid collisions. These delays cost money, as the industry average cost to operate an oceangoing ship in port is more than $1,000 per hour.