Boosting bubbles in the fight against tilapia
Gooseponds receives new oxygenation system to help native species survive against the ‘rats of the ocean’
Mackay
Don't miss out on the headlines from Mackay. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THERE are now more bubbles in the Gooseponds to help native fish in their fight against the invasive exotic pests.
Mackay Regional Council installed a new oxygenation system costing about $90,000 to build the resilience of native species like barramundi.
It has six aerators including three sub-surface that circulate the water, two surface-mounted aerators that disperse water vertically and radially, and one surface-mounted fountain that shoots a plume of water skyward.
More stories:
Five of Mackay's best whale watching spots
Drastic measure to stop coastal vegetation vandals
Botanic Garden lagoon choked by weeds
It is hoped the increased oxygenation will also help prevent future fish kills, similar to what occurred in 2010, 2016 and in 2018.
Mayor Greg Williamson said the Gooseponds had been infested with the tilapia pest species.
Power cuts homes, but no rain damage
Native to Africa, tilapia are prolific breeders and can survive under a wide array of environmental conditions such as high-salinity, low oxygen and broad temperatures, which native species cannot.
"It's been introduced by people who didn't want it in their fish tanks anymore and it ends up in the Gooseponds and they just multiply," Cr Williamson said.
"They're the rats of the ocean.
"It is a predator fish so what we're trying to do is make the habitat a lot more easy for good fish like the fingerlings of barramundi that we've released in there over the last couple of years."
Cr Williamson said he "absolutely" encouraged Mackay residents to help rid the Gooseponds of the problem fish.
"If you catch a tilapia, get rid of it and go in and grab another."
‘An unholy sound’: Two injured after collision on Mackay street
Two men have been taken to hospital after their cars collided on a Mackay residential street.
‘It just blew’: Moment driver and daughter escape burning car
A Mackay social worker went for a shop at Bunnings with her daughter when she heard a pop. Next thing she knew, the car was engulfed in flames.