More fish deaths likely as temperatures soar in NSW
Soaring temperatures forecast for this week are likely to kill off even more fish in the Darling River system, as an emergency meeting has been called to deal with the ecological disaster.
Environment
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WARNING, GRAPHIC IMAGES: More fish are likely to die in NSW’s Darling River this week as temperatures soar in the state’s northwest.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) states the region will likely be hit with 40+ degree temperatures all week.
The news comes on the back of the grim realisation that up to a million fish have died in the Darling River system at Menindee with more expected to be added to that number.
The ecological disaster, caused by an algal bloom over the New Year, has prompted state and federal water managers to hold an emergency meeting to discuss options in terms of mitigating the disaster.
BOM has warned a heatwave that is blowing in from Central Australia will blanket the region until Saturday, and will likely bring record breaking temperatures with it.
Federal Water Minister David Littleproud described the fish deaths as horrible, joining his NSW counterpart Niall Blair in warning of more devastation.
“I’m advised there is a high likelihood of more fish kills very soon,” Mr Littleproud said in a statement on Monday.
The federal government wants states to agree to use $5 million from Murray-Darling Basin funds for a strategy to look after native fish.
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Mr Littleproud has asked the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to convene a meeting of state and federal water managers and environmental water holders this week.
The meeting will look at the immediate risk of further fish kills and how to mitigate that possibility including through the release of environmental water.
Stakeholders will also review state and federal watering priorities to see if changes are needed.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was concerned some may attempt to “play politics” with the bipartisan Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
“It’s a devastating ecological event,” Mr Morrison told ABC News Breakfast.
“For those who live all throughout the region, just the sheer visual image of this is terribly upsetting.”
Labor wants an emergency task force to investigate how and why the fish died, including the potential impact of agricultural chemicals like fertiliser. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten also wants it to look at whether water diversions or management in the Murray-Darling system made the disaster worse.
Meanwhile the locals’ frustration and disgust grows with @D_LittleproudMP @Melissa4Durack and @MD_Basin_Auth. Their silence is deafening 2/2 pic.twitter.com/UoWWVsTta6
— Rex Patrick (@Senator_Patrick) January 8, 2019
Scientists argue mismanagement of the river system is to blame, but the NSW government insists the devastating drought gripping the state is a key factor. “Drought is a natural event. Blue green algae outbreaks and fish kills of this scale are not natural events,” Mr Shorten wrote in a letter to the prime minister.
Mr Littleproud and Mr Morrison pointed to barren conditions as the central factor behind the fish deaths.
“The reality is we’re in a serious drought and the only silver bullet is rain,” Mr Littleproud said.
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