By REBECCA BILLS
FURTHER fish deaths have occurred in the Anglesea River after a recent bout of heavy rain.
Owner of Anglesea and Great Ocean Road Outdoor Centre and Country Alliance Senate Candidate in this year’s federal election, Gary Kerr, said the recent bout of fish deaths was detrimental.
“The last time this happened a couple of years ago we had to sacrifice part of our business to stay afloat,” he said.
“It really is detrimental to Anglesea and our fishing culture and everyone is shaking their head and really upset by it.
“Two weeks ago we were catching 30 centimetre snapper in the river. We know that when the river mouth is opened all the species come from the ocean and it stays healthy.”
Mr Kerr said residents had done all they could to lobby for better treatment of the river and it was now “up to the government departments to take better action with how they deal with this ongoing issue”.
“If they get off their arse and do something about it we could be back in business again,” he said.
“We never get a real investigation into it, they fob it off.”
Environment Pollution Authority southwest manager Eve Graham said fish deaths in the area occurred naturally after heavy rain in the river catchment flushed acid soils from coal deposits and tea tree marshes in the river, its tributaries and the estuary.
“EPA has ruled out pollution as a cause through compliance visits to industries operating along the catchment.”
The Surf Coast Council has put signs up advising people against eating dead or dying fish and to avoid contact with the water.
