Millions Of Dead Fish Headed For The Compost Heap

VICTORVILLE (CBS) — Many of those millions of dead fish that floated into King Harbor Monday night are destined for a compost heap, according to authorities.

A crew of 200 workers and volunteers have already taken more than 35 tons of fish — mostly sardines — from the water. Authorities believe there are another 30-something tons at the bottom of the harbor.

Amy Murphy reports from American Organics, a company in Victorville, that will turn much of the fish waste into a useful product...compost for the soil.

"The fish enhance the compost tremendously with the fish oil, the moisture in the fish and of course the protein," says Dean Johnson, general manager of American Organics.

The company has already processed 10 tons of the fish.

Johnson told Murphy, "We just fold it in with other organic ingredients. It's like we are chefs and we are baking a cake."

This cake just takes a little longer to bake. The super-charged compost takes 4 and one-half months to cook.