Fish kill investigated in Australind

There have been reports of dead fish in the Collie River near Australind. South West fisherman Garry Hennenberg said he saw “hundreds of dead black bream” on the river last week. “They were washed up on the banks and floating upside down in the water,” Mr Hennenberg said. “I saw a dead fish every 10m as I went upstream.” He has been fishing for more than 50 years and said the last time he saw anything like this was in 2015. “This time I only saw black bream, but in 2015 I saw a few different species. “It was very strange.” The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation have taken samples and said they were investigating the fish kill. Reports of the dead fish began on April 23, spanning a 5km stretch of the river. Members of the public reported the fish on the FishWatch website. A DPIRD spokesperson said the dead fish reported were mostly black bream, however whiting, tailor and yellow-eyed mullet were also found along the river. They said the recent rain and high tides may be contributing factors. They issued advice for the area, including telling people not to swim or fish in the river. They also said not to use dead fish as bait because of the high levels of bacteria. People are also urged to keep their pets away from the fish. Harvey Shire President Paul Gillett said the council would help with the clean up and would put up signs in the area. Mr Hennenberg said he would like to see more patrols on the water to stop things like illegal fishing.