The suffocation of up to 30 million fish in western NSW has been described by a scientist as a “canary in the coal mine” for a sick river environment.
The team travelled to Menindee several times before making more than a dozen findings.
System degradation NSW deputy chief scientist Darren Saunders said the fish deaths were symptomatic of a larger problem.
“The fish are a canary in the coal mine,” Dr Saunders said.
Tens of millions of dead fish blanketed the river at Menindee in March.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The suffocation of up to 30 million fish in western NSW has been described by a scientist as a “canary in the coal mine” for a sick river environment.
An independent review into March’s Menindee fish kill in the Darling River has released its findings into the deaths, which were attributed to low oxygen levels in the water.
The task of gathering evidence, testing the river quality and speaking to the community was given to the NSW Chief Scientist’s office.
Poor communication with the community, a lacking emergency response, limitations around measuring water quality and fish numbers as well as declining river health were outlined.
NSW deputy chief scientist Darren Saunders said the fish deaths were symptomatic of a larger problem.
“You have to think that time spent by the Chief Scientist’s [office] … amongst the town and amongst the community has been well worth it,” resident Graeme McCrabb said.
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