Residents of Menindee who live near the Darling River have complained about the stench and are concerned about water contamination. However, despite police claims that a contractor will be employed to remove the rotting fish, they state that “promises” cannot be made due to the magnitude of the task.
According to police, removing millions of rotting fish from a river in the Australian outback will be a logistical catastrophe.
On Friday, fish began to perish in the Darling River near the New South Wales town of Menindee, where temperatures have reached 40 degrees Celsius.
Fish, primarily bony bream, cod, and perch, require more oxygen in warm weather, but oxygen levels in the water decreased after recent floods receded, according to experts.
Brett Greentree, the assistant police commissioner, stated that maintaining the purity of the town’s water supply was the most pressing concern, followed by the removal of the deceased fish.
The removal of the fish with nets has been entrusted to trained contractors. But the dates for the operation have not yet been determined.
Residents are upset about the repair delay, worried about water contamination.
“That would be a logistical nightmare,” Mr. Greentree said.
“I comprehend and acknowledge the stench and appearance of the river – no one wants to see that,” he added.
Mr. Greentree added that officials were giving river-dependent residents potable water.
Extreme drought conditions in late 2018 and early 2019 caused massive fish deaths along the Menindee River.
Joy Becker, a University of Sydney aquatic animal health expert, said the river’s ecosystem would take time to recover.
“It does imply that those populations [of fish] may not rebound as quickly or to the same extent,” she explained.
Actually, invasive species can completely take over an area, making it more difficult for native fish to recover.
