Australia: Thousands of fishes die as rains wash bushfire ash into rivers

Hundreds of thousands of fish have been reported dead in New South Whales by recreational fishermen. Reports suggest that the ash and mud from bushfire-affected areas have been washed into rivers due to recent rains in Australia. Scientists believe that it will take years for the fish populations to recover.

Suffocating fish

The NSW Department of Primary Industries has allegedly received dozens of reports about thousands of dead fish in rivers since December last year. While talking to local media, an ecologist has said that the dead fish will impact the fish population for decades to come. An example of the species of fish that have been hit hard is the Australian bass.

Locals from New South Wales have reported that the rains in the past 10 days have dumped even more ash and mud from the bushfires into the river. According to Larry Newberry, a recreational fisher from Frederickton, the ash and mud from the rains have, in his opinion, killed every fish in a 100 kilometre stretch of the river. He also added that he had never seen a 'fish kill' of this magnitude ever before and would probably be replicated in every east coast river in New South Wales.

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The species that have reportedly been affected are Australian bass, eels, bullhead mullet, yellow-eye mullet, herring, gudgeons and catfish. According to Prof Lee Baumgartner, a freshwater ecologist at Charles Sturt University, the reason that the fish died is that they suffocated. 

The ash in the water promotes bacteria in the water that decreases the oxygen content and if the water becomes sludgy then the fish are unable to pass enough water across their gills to successfully extract enough oxygen.  Dead fish have also been reported at Tilba Lake on the south coast of NSW.

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