Little Rock - Nearly 500 fish were found dead in the Arkansas River near Ozark late last week, about a month after 83,000 fish were found dead or dying in same area, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission officials said Monday.

The latest find occurred Friday in the river near the Ozark Lock and Dam, said Chris Racey, assistant chief of fisheries with the commission.

More than 83,000 dead or dying fish were found in the same area on Dec. 29.

In both cases the majority of the fish discovered were freshwater drum.

Racey said officials are working to try to determine a cause of death in both instances.

"We are again asking the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to perform additional testing on the fish we were able to capture," said Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Assistant Chief of Fisheries Chris Racey.

Results are expected this week.