Another WA fish kill under investigation

The Department of Fisheries in WA is investigating yet another State fish kill, this time around 70 kilometres north of Broome, on the beaches in the Manari area.

Along with pelagic species, a number of demersal species, including cod, stripey seaperch, North West snapper and coral trout have been identified among the dead fish found.

The Kimberley Marine Research Station, which posted photos of a number of large dead reef fish and a poor baby turtle washed up on the beach, said Broome locals were alarmed at the fish kill. It could be caused by algae, warm water, seismic activity. There is a lot of speculation about online as ever.

Fisheries and Marine Officers, acting on a report from a member of the public, visited the beach locations north of Broome this week to collect fish and water samples, which were air-freighted to Perth for laboratory tests by the department’s Fish Health unit.

The Department of Fisheries is responsible for responding to fish kill
events that occur in ocean environments. Department of Water manages
investigations on fish kills that occur in estuaries, rivers and
naturally occurring inland water bodies.

In December last year, traditional land owners believe the installation of bores were to blame for a mass fish kill in the Kimberley. Thousands of fish died at the Nimalarica Claypans near Willie Creek north of Broome.

In all fish-kill circumstances,
the Fish Health unit of the Department of Fisheries carries out
laboratory testing of any fish samples assessed as suitable for that further investigation.     

Fish kills in open ocean areas may provide less
evidence of a direct cause and it
may not be possible to identify a single definitive cause, but every
effort is made to establish probable factors, the department says.

This is not the first time nor will it be the last of a fish kill in WA.

We reported on the
massive fish kill in Cockburn Sounds late last year, where large snapper were among the fish washed up near Perth.

Thousands of dead baitfish also washed on a beach in the Pilbara late last year. More than 4000 of the same small baitfish species washed up en masse on a beach 50km north of Karratha. Fish kills occur naturally, but they are always cause for alarm and caution.

Any fish kills should be reported to FISHWATCH on 1800 815 507. More information about fish kills can be found on the Department of Fisheries' website at www.fish.wa.gov.au.