What’s up with dead lobsters at San Onofre State Beach?

A large number of lobster carcasses have washed ashore in recent days at San Onofre State Beach. While state officials are monitoring the situation, thus far they say there is no cause for alarm.

“California State Parks has not observed anything unusual or concerning related to marine life at San Onofre State Beach,” a parks spokesperson said in an email to the Union-Tribune. “While staff have seen lobster exoskeletons along the shoreline, these observations are consistent with typical conditions and do not indicate an abnormal mortality event.”

The Union-Tribune also reached out to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. A spokesperson said the department “is looking into it” and has passed information along to its marine division.

The spokesperson went on to say it “would not be uncommon as seals and sea lions feed on lobster as well as other wildlife and we have had some larger swells recently due to the weather systems offshore that can stir the water up as well.”

Many of the lobster husks lay scattered, near and immediately north of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, also known as SONGS.

Roger Johnson, a retired neuroscience professor who lives in San Clemente, learned of the carcasses on Dec. 20 after his daughter strolled along the beach and took photographs.

Johnson wonders if the deaths are somehow related to a recent “liquid batch release” of wastewater from SONGS.