As the ice is finally beginning to melt in Carburn Lake, people have been discovering dead fish along the shore.

Fish and Wildlife Officers have been getting calls about deceased pike and perch at Carburn Lake, situated in the southeast community of Riverbend.

They say that the fish died due to a lack of oxygen.

A thick layer of snow covered the ice for most of the winter, blocking light from reaching the bottom of the pond.

The plants, which make oxygen for the fish, reside at the bottom. When they died, the remaining oxygen in the water was used up as they decayed.

Officers have received calls from a number of lakes throughout the province, mostly in smaller bodies of water, regarding fish deaths.

Fish and Wildlife Services say that the remaining fish should do well because there will be less competition.

"There will be lots of food for them, and they'll start reproducing as long as we don't get a number of winter kills. Then they'll come back on their own," says Ed Pirogowicz, Fish and Wildlife Officer.

Callum, 4, and his father, Geoff Ewert, hope that the fish return to Carburn Lake.

"Hopefully the fish do come back, because it's a perfect hole for parents and kids to come out and do some fishing," says Ewert. "It would be nice if it stays that way."

Officers say that nature should take care of the situation, with scavengers coming to clean up the dead fish.

They are asking Calgarians to call their main office if they see dead fish in a body of water, at 403-297-6423.