OzFish says NSW has not seen the end of the blackwater event that has killed hundreds of thousands of fish and warns the mass deaths will affect recreational and commercial fisheries for years to come.
The Australian fish charity says restoring floodplain swamps, particularly the Tuckean Swamp in the lower Richmond River, is crucial to stop these events reoccurring.
The blackwater fish kills, first reported in the Richmond River and now occurring in the Clarence and Macleay Rivers, are the latest in a series of mass deaths linked to blackwater run-off.
OzFish CEO Cassie Price said: “For the Richmond River, where the most severe kills are occurring, the data is indicating that this event can be closely linked to run-off from the Tuckean Swamp.”
OzFish is calling for the NSW Government to collaborate with local governments and community organisations to restore NSW’s historically drained floodplain swamps.
“We must work together to restore these crucial areas, so they can function for the health of the river, native fish and other wildlife – and our communities. Government must lead the solution, but OzFish staff and volunteers are ready to assist in on-ground efforts to restore and monitor the recovery of these areas,” said Price.
“Impacts on fish stocks and the broader ecosystem – from the worms and molluscs that make up the bottom of the food chain, to the largest adult breeding fish – will continue well beyond these events.”
“One of the hardest things for us to see were the large numbers of dead baby fish, or fingerlings, in the piles on the shorelines. These are the babies born since the last flood decimated populations in 2022, and we know that these fish populations will never recover if they keep getting hit like this,” she said.
Price said the large numbers of affected eels and mud crabs was a concerning indicator of a worse-than-usual event.
“These guys are resilient and can usually endure a range of severe water conditions. If they are struggling, we believe it is unlikely that other species will survive.”
Price said OzFish were regularly testing water, and that oxygen levels in the water were still below healthy levels of 5mg of oxygen per litre.
“It’s eerie, a river with no life left in it.”
OzFish is asking the public to continue to provide feedback on the fish kill, and changes in catch.
“We have received over 50 reports with photos and other documentation from the public, and will continue to gather data and information over the coming weeks and months as the long term effects become apparent.”
