Get out of the water: Beachgoers ignore warnings amid mass fish kill
Swimmers sighted in the water off Coogee Beach after hundreds of dead fish washed ashore have sparked calls for stronger public health warnings.
Several hundred scaly mackerel have found floating between the Woodman Point Ammo Jetty and the Omeo Wreck, promoting the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development to launch an investigation and close the beach onto which they have begun to wash.
Swimmers at Coogee Beach after hundreds of dead fish washed ashore.Credit: Conservation Council of WA.
Despite the warning and “beach closed” signs being placed along the sand, swimmers and fishers were witnessed back in the water, undeterred.
The Conservation Council of WA says a lack of information relating to the public health risk or details about the fish kill was a concern.
“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.”
DPIRD officers are investigating and have taken dead fish and water samples for testing.
The Department has 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.
