Floods to blame for sick Gladstone fish

A final report on sick fish in Gladstone Harbour says flooding was the main cause of the problem. Source: AAP

A REPORT that blames flooding and not dredging for an outbreak of sick marine animals in Gladstone Harbour is a ridiculous lie, a scientist says.

Fish, turtles and stingrays were discovered dead or dying in the waters of the harbour in 2011 and 2012. Symptoms included skin lesions and cloudy eyes.

Gladstone fishermen said increased dredging to build export facilities for the coal seam gas industry was behind the outbreak of disease.

But a final report by an independent panel of scientists appointed by the Queensland government begs to differ.

It says flooding, combined with large numbers of fish being washed over the Awoonga dam, stressed the ecosystem in the central Queensland city's harbour and adjacent waterways.

"This study cannot rule out the possibility that the activity of dredging and associated turbidity provided additional stress to the ecosystem, but it was not the primary stressor," it says.

Marine animal expert Dr Matt Landos, who has been studying sick fish and crabs in the harbour and produced reports that have found heavy concentrations of metals in the animals, says the government's report is a joke.

"It's disappointing to see the government perpetuate a lie," Dr Landos said.

"We all know the flood was bigger north of Gladstone and didn't cause any health issues for fish.

"We know in January this year Gladstone had a flood that was double the size and it didn't cause the problem we saw in 2011."

He said dirty and rushed dredging was behind the outbreak and the government knows it's liable for damage to the local fishing industry.

"They've created a lie that rainfall is somehow so toxic that it causes everything to get sick and die," Dr Landos said.

"It's hilarious. It's the most unscientific finding."

Gladstone Fish Market spokesman Ted Whittington also believed the report was flawed.

"The floods happened in December and January. The sick fish began to show up in July," he said.

"Why did it take six months to have an effect?

"In May 2011, dredging was heightened and then two months later we have numerous sick fish and turtles."

But the report said fish health had improved markedly since 2011, during a period when the dredging work continued.

Fish health was now comparable to other locations, including Bundaberg, it said.

"All industrial activities in Gladstone that were operating in Gladstone in 2011 have continued to operate, including dredging," it said.

"The only factor different in 2011 compared to previous years was the significant rainfall, the subsequent flooding and the introduction of a significant biomass of fish from Lake Awoonga."

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Floods to blame for sick Gladstone fish

Dengan url

http://beritasementara.blogspot.com/2013/08/floods-to-blame-for-sick-gladstone-fish.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Floods to blame for sick Gladstone fish

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Floods to blame for sick Gladstone fish

sebagai sumbernya