The recent sightings of dead fish washed up on Marco Island beaches could be related to Hurricane Ivan, the city's environmental specialist says. But they are not a sign of red tide.

Blame it on the moon, Nancy Richie said Sept. 15.

"Currently red tide readings are nil, and (there are) no reports of fish kills offshore or in the Marco Island area to date," Richie said. "Due to the past storm events, and this week we're going into a new moon phase, it's not uncommon to see fish (and) live shells washed up with the tides."

Richie has seen sea stars, puffer fish, a sea horse "or two," and several different shellfish species in a pile of sea debris that washed up near the northern border of Residents Beach.

"The beach raker continues to rake the entire beach, and will take one swath just seaward of the wrack line to help remove the decaying sea life as we get through all the storms," she said. "Once the storms settle down, we'll resume the rake- groom alternating-week schedule."