Fish kill 1770!!!! Help!

[agnes_jack]

Just went down to the estuary at 1770 after hearing several reports of "hundreds of dead fish washing down the estuary, around the front half of the creek!!
I went down and collected some samples of what appeared to be mainly herring, that were washed up along the shoreline.
I have rung the DPI, the EPA, the wishwatch hotline etc and basically gone around in circles back to the first number I rang. It appears that I can not contact anyone who gives a rats, until at least monday!!!
My main problem is whether or not to freeze the samples I have collected for testing????
Has anyone got any idea what is the best way to keep the samples, till I can get them to some one for Testing???
Any help would be appreciated!!!

Regards, Tony
PS.......Will post a few photo's in the morning

[karana]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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[roz]

Do you know if Eurimbula was affected?

[cuzzamundi]

that is one hell of a shame tony. full credit to you for actually doing something about it! let's just hope it's a virus among the herro's and nothing more. thanks you anyway.

cuzza

[nick1971]

That is crazy stuff, I would not of known where to start had been confronted with that. You have done a wonderful job with the photos and you should be congratulated on the action taken. I hope you get a resolution on this.

Cheers Nick

[agnes_jack]

G'day guy's
Lucky phil and I have just been down there again at the bottom of the tide
Made yesterdays look like chocky cake, dead stinking fish everywhere
In front of the caravan park is horrendous, piles of em. This now has me very concerned, This time we found herring, yakka's (yellowtail), some queensland pillies. So that to me says that it is less likely to be a virus. More chance of polution of some sort. Seems like way too many to be trawler by-catch.
More photo's coming

Roz
No reports from Eurimbula so far..........This is not good, no matter what the cause is.

Regards, Tony