Primary Industry and Fisheries Minister Chris Natt today urged people to report sightings of fish kills in Territory waterways.
 
“Fish kills mainly occur at the beginning of the wet season, when higher temperatures, high concentrations of fish and low levels of oxygen all occur in the water,” Mr Natt said.
 
“With the first rains of the wet season, large amounts of vegetation are flushed into billabongs and water courses, and when this vegetation rots it can remove oxygen from the water, which means fish can suffocate and die.
 
“These fish kills are an annual event, commonly witnessed along freshwater estuaries such as the Mary River system, including the Corroboree Billabong area.
 
“With our remote and almost untouched waterways, we rely on the information provided by Territory anglers to protect our natural assets such as fish stocks.”
 
Mr Natt said species most affected by the low oxygen levels include barramundi, catfish, bony bream, saratoga and rainbow fish.
 
“The Territory Government has developed a fish kill response plan, which is activated when a report of a fish kill is received,” Mr Natt said.
 
“I urge members of the public who witness a fish kill to contact the Department of Regional Development, Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources (RDPIFR) as soon as possible.
 
“Quick and accurate reporting of fish kills gives our research teams the best possible chance to investigate and determine if the event has been natural or caused by some other factor.
 
“Although it can be disturbing to see lots of dead fish floating, this is a natural occurrence and we have records of them dating back about 40 years.”
 
More information on Fish Kills on the Mary River System can be accessed via the Fisheries Website at www.nt.gov.au/d/Fisheries