The “unintended failure” of a commercial fishing net has been blamed for an event that forced the closure of a Perth beach.
Swimmers were sighted in the water off Coogee Beach on Friday despite authorities having closed the beach after hundreds of scaly mackerel washed ashore the day prior.
But follow-up enquires by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) determined that the fished wash-up on shore was likely due to an unintended failure of a commercial fish net.
All beaches in the City of Cockburn have since been reopened and DPIRD will continue to monitor the situation over the weekend.
The fish were found floating between the Woodman Point Ammo Jetty and the Omeo Wreck, prompting the investigation.
Swimmers at Coogee Beach after hundreds of dead fish washed ashore.Credit: Conservation Council of WA.
Despite the City of Cockburn temporarily closing C.Y. O’Connor Beach, south of the Catherine Point groyne in North Coogee and McTaggart Cove and placing “beach closed” signs along the sand, swimmers and fishers were witnessed back in the water — sparking calls for stronger public health warnings.
The Conservation Council of WA said a lack of information relating to potential public health risks or details about the fish kill – while the cause was still under investigation – was concerning.
“Without any clear explanation of the risks at the site people were clearly not put off by the signage, with dozens of people still swimming and fishing at the beach on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning,” Conservation Council of WA campaign director Mia Pepper said.
Credit: Conservation Council of WA.
“This is cause for a rethink and review of the emergency response to fish kill incidents, which are akin to a canary in the coalmine.”
Earlier on Friday, a DPIRD spokesperson said the department had a comprehensive notification process for fish kill incidents and that, as only one species of fish was involved, there was no evidence to suggest that the fish kill was caused by a water contamination issue.
The department issued a warning on its website to beachgoers not to swim, collect or consume fish in areas of water with large numbers of dead and decomposing fish or use the fish as bait, but has now updated the warning.
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