Sewage washed into Swan and Canning Rivers
ABC News 26 March 2010
CU Marron taken from the
Canning River
The Health Department says the Swan and Canning rivers are not safe for swimming or fishing after sewage was washed into the catchment in Monday's storm.
More than 40 fish have died and crabs and marron have crawled onto the river banks to avoid the contaminated water.
Two sewerage stations in Perth have overflowed, with the run off washing into the rivers.
Jim Dodds from the Health Department says it is not safe to eat anything from the Swan or Canning rivers.
"Don't eat shell fish from the river, they are an organism that concentrates everything from the river and you can never be sure what's in the river especially in a catchment like this.
The Swan River Trust and the Department of Fisheries are trying to rescue the marron from the rivers.
The Department's Craig Lawrence says no fish or freshwater crayfish have been found alive.
"It's a worry, we've actually covered about 75 percent of the river now and we still have 25 percent left which we're hoping will still have something in it," he said.
"I haven't seen this sort of situation before."
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18085
Date Joined: 11/03/08
not good news at all. hope
not good news at all. hope things come back to normal, well as normal as possible anyway
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
Daniel Y
Posts: 423
Date Joined: 30/09/05
Don't really understand the
Don't really understand the article.
"The Department's Craig Lawrence says no fish or freshwater crayfish
have been found alive.
"It's a worry, we've actually covered about 75 percent of the river
now and we still have 25 percent left which we're hoping will still have
something in it," he said."
What do they mean by that? They must not be looking very hard if they claim to have covered 75% of the river and haven't found any live fish, especially since they have only found 40 dead ones.
Leemo
Posts: 3712
Date Joined: 22/02/07
spot on daniel. last weekend
spot on daniel. last weekend i caught 30 bream out of ONE spot. theres a shitload more fish than 40. not good journalism/researching there.
bludgin' since 94'
Ewan
Posts: 271
Date Joined: 15/05/06
I'd say they are probably
I'd say they are probably just talking about the upper reaches?? I dont know though...
I saw Minister Faragher say that the storm was going to result in lots of fish deaths...um, it's not the storm - its the pollution that is washed into our river!
bod
Posts: 2321
Date Joined: 03/05/06
The Swan River Trust says
For more information view the Trust’s media statement, low oxygen in the Swan and Canning Rivers.
Fish deaths between the Middle Swan Bridge and Caversham, and also Woodbridge Reserve in Guildford in the Swan River were reported on Wednesday 24 March. Approximately 40 fish died. On Thursday 25 March a second fish death incident was reported on the Canning River between Castledare and Bannister Creek and 30 fish were collected.
Crabs in the Upper Swan have also been seen leaving the water. In the Canning River marron have been seen leaving the water near Yule Brook, Beckenham. The Trust and Department of Fisheries are working together to protect as many fish and crustaceans as possible from deteriorating water conditions. Department of Fisheries are transferring some fish and crustaceans into research holding tanks so they can be restocked into the river when it returns to normal. For more information view the Department of Fisheries’ media statement, agencies work together to save river life from storm run-off (link to external website).
The Department of Health has issued a warning for people to avoid contact with water in Perth rivers and at beaches near stormwater outlets. For more information view the media statement, people urged to avoid contact with Perth waterways (link to external website).
STONEY
Posts: 9
Date Joined: 13/03/10
Went for a wander
down canning bridge yesterday,plenty of fish there. although,I supose it has been over a week now. What I want too know is,after all this "you cant eat,fish,swim etc in the rivers" Are we going to be told when we can?
And as far as all the dead fish,its not a very high number! Im sure I remember alot more dieing each and every time an "accidental" contamination has occured.
gumbyconts
Posts: 158
Date Joined: 22/06/09
health dept of wa have
health dept of wa have stated today that fish are safe to eat. dunno about the swimming etc. most likely to be ok too i guess.