Fish kill 1770!!!! Help!

**karana** · 12-05-2006, 05:45 PM

Re: Fish kill 1770!!!! Â Help!

Freeze the samples making sure they come into contact with NOTHING.

If you have rung all the correct numbers who knows but try again Monday. Were there any trawlers working off the estuary on an in coming tide?

**roz** · 12-05-2006, 06:48 PM

Re: Fish kill 1770!!!! Â Help!

Tony,

may be a good idea to freeze some samples, and if possible store some in the fridge (in a sterile container if possible), if i had known sooner I could have sent you some.

**Lucky_Phill** · 12-05-2006, 07:37 PM

Re: Fish kill 1770!!!! Â Help!

Tony, have managed to get onto the Southern Fisheries, who sometimes do the testing on these sorts of things. Spoke to a Scientist there ( well, he was out at dinner.

), and he said to just freeze them. He was also surprised at you not being able to contact people from EPA or DPI, as they are supposed to keep their mobile phones on them at all times, for instances such as this.

I will pm you the good Doctors phone number should you wish to talk to him, regarding this..........Monday

Cheers Phill

**DICER** · 13-05-2006, 05:17 AM

Re: Fish kill 1770!!!!  Help!

Hi Tony, I am surprised as well. If it is just herring that is affected, then it suggests a virus, but if it is widespread amongst other fish then it suggests some sort of poisoning perhaps. There are a few people who you might want to contact. But I am not sure of the phone billing.

Like people above have said; Take fresh lunch type bags and collect several samples in separate bags from different locations. Label, date and freeze them. Perhaps collect more if you suspect they are fresh ones. Especially if new ones are appearing.

You can also contact the following groups below. They have experience with the pilchard kill in western and southern Australia. They also identified the associated virus and may be interested in this case.

Marine and Atmospheric research CSIRO
Head office (Hobart) +61 3 6232 5222 or (Cleveland) +61 7 3826 7200

Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL)
(Geelong) +61 3 5227 5000 ~ if you think it is really widespread

The question remains if it is a local kill or if it is widespread? If it were poisoning or anoxia then I think it will be best that you keep at the local and Qld numbers, QDPI and CSIRO, until they turn up (next week most likely)! Perhaps ask other concerned people to ring their number.

No need to be sterile with the bags - so long as they are new they should be ok. Pick the fish up with bag inside out and fold around the fish. Seal out the air.

**agnes_jack** · 13-05-2006, 09:46 AM

Re: Fish kill 1770!!!! Â Help!

Thanks for the reply's and advice fellas!!
Several kilo's of dead fish are now frozen, and I will persue the testing of them with relevant authorities on Monday morning. Hopefully the results will show up a not too serious, easily fixed cause. Being part of the Great Barrier Reef marine park catchment, one would expect immediate action by the authorities.
I only caught the very bottom of the tide, and missed the main part of it, the fish were no longer washing out when I got there, but the reports were of thousands of fish washing out in a line!!

The samples were of fish washed up and trapped in the rocks.
Here are some photo's.

**agnes_jack** · 13-05-2006, 09:47 AM