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MILLIONS OF FISH have washed up dead in south-eastern Australia in a die-off that authorities and scientists say is caused by floods and hot weather.
The Department of Primary Industries in New South Wales said the fish deaths coincided with a heatwave that put stress on a system that has experienced extreme conditions from wide-scale flooding.
The deaths were likely caused by low oxygen levels as floods receded, a situation made worse by fish needing more oxygen because of the warmer weather, the department said.
Residents of the Outback town of Menindee complained about the impact of the dead fish.
Jan Dening said: “We’ve just sort of started to clean up, and then this has happened, and… you’re walking around in a dried-up mess and then you’re smelling this putrid smell. It’s a terrible smell and horrible to see all those dead fish.”
Nature photographer Geoff Looney found huge clusters of dead fish near the main weir in Menindee on Thursday evening.
“The stink was terrible,” he said. “I nearly had to put a mask on. I was worried about my own health.
“That water right in the top comes down to our pumping station for the town. People north of Menindee say there’s cod and perch floating down the river everywhere.”
Mass kills have been reported on the Darling-Baaka River in recent weeks. Tens of thousands of fish were found at the same spot in late February, while there have been several reports of dead fish downstream towards Pooncarie, near the borders of South Australia and Victoria states.
Enormous fish kills occurred on the river at Menindee during severe drought conditions in late 2018 and early 2019, with locals estimating millions of deaths.
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Lived there for many years. Left after 3 muggings……1 at knifepoint. Most knife crime there is focused in a certain community but people and police are reluctant to point this out as they fear being called racist
Stab capital London. No end in sight
@GloryManUnited2019: it was never as bad here as it is there in fairness!
@Dave Dublin: Be fair Dave, Not all English people are like that.
That’s what you call a scatter gun approach.
That would be justified if the victim had 39 stab wounds
@Paul: one is guilty the others are preventing the police from finding out the truth. They be charged with, with holding evidence, interfering with an investigation etc.
@Paul: what a stupid comment…..
@Jim Buckley Barrett: One or more may the alleged attacker/s. No guilty until tried and convicted
@Paul: be
@Pat O Brien: I hope the victim recovers but I think arresting 39 people at a party who may know nothing is a bit excessive
@Paul: or who may know everything
@Paul: all were in proximity to the alleged attackers and all refused to cooperate, which makes all potential accessories after the fact.
@Paul: ah Paul come on don’t be so naive
39 people arrested for attemped murder. Sounds like the plot of an Agatha christie novel.
How big was the knife?
Was he Julius Caesar?
Arrested 39 people my arse.
@Bluey: your point? Try and use full meaningful sentences.
@Jim Buckley Barrett: Did it upset you Jim?
@Bluey: are you implying that they didn’t in fact arrest 39 people and despite initially refusing to cooperate that they all then simultaneously had a change of heart and voluntarily accompanied the police to various stations to give statements?
@Jim Buckley Barrett: I think his point could be he believes the police to be economical with the truth. That’s what the “39 my arse” would indicate to me anyway could be wrong like
have your say