dead river

[maxi]

well it has happened again, the richmond river is as dead as.millions of fish floating everywhere, and i mean millions of fish, from baby mudskippers to mt long flattys, millions of bass upstream, millions of prawns and crabs, millions of whiting bream mullet jew jacks tevally the bloody lot.....and it stinks and smells as well haha...but its not a laughing matter at all..we had a major kill here in 2001 after a flood but this is looking worse...its caused by all the rotting vegetation that has entered the river from the flood and as it rots it takes all the oxygen out of the water, as well as the water that has been backed up in the flood mitigation drains that are never opened and have turned to black water, and when it floods all that stinking s..t flows out and kills everything in its path. when all the natural grasses were replaced by fodder for cattle etc the feed that was put there will not cope with being submersed for an extended period, so it dies and rots, turning the water rancid, not to mention all the cane farms that use god knows what on there crops in the form of pesticides etc. that just flows out into the big agricultural drain we once called the richmond river..its terrible guys.very very bad indeed....the river will be shut down again for sure, i will be very surprised if its not.the last time we could not fish it for 6 mths and the pros were out for longer...

these pics are a very minute piece of the kill..

Maxi [img size=480]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/fish_kill_008.jpg

[maxi]

once were swimming [img size=480]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/fish_kill_002.jpg

[Bommie]

again, thats bad:angry:

[Angus]

[maxi]

more [img size=480]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/fish_kill_011.jpg

[maxi]

more [img size=480]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/fish_kill_014.jpg

[Ash]

Thats the worst carnage ive ever seen!

[maxi]

oops sorry all.neck exercise time hahaha

[Cowfish13]

Jeez... thats terrible:(

[pinkey]

i kinda know how it feels a tiny bit, lol, for a while i thought that was happening to the brisbane river, hundreds of dead catfish, Threadfin small and huge, river perch, and mullet were all floating dead down the river for a month or so, duno what caused it but its all good now, is that your local river mate? thats a real shame, move up to brisbane .

[maxi]

thats nothing ash.thats just what we could see easily..theres millions of fish dead....

[jeff f]

seen the same thing happen in the tweed a couple of times

the blackwater in the cane drains is evil shit

[maxi]

yeah that "was" my local river pinkey and duskys and dees...

[pinkey]

have you found any monster fish, like 50cm bream? over 1m flatties, massive jewfish ect ect if so can you take a pic? hope it never happens to any rivers up here.

[ellicat]

That's awful for you and the community maxi. I remember it happening last time when we used to frequent the area. Took a long time to recover:(

[maxi]

didnt see ant mt long flattys but a mate did..hopefully they are all hanging around the bar area to get some air...this is a luderick.... [img size=480]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/fish_kill_017.jpg

[Ash]

Mate, thanks for the pics, but i can honestly say I wouldnt want to see the whole situation. Thats just rips at ya to see. A whole eco system, smashed in one swipe!

[chubbstar]

Thats just sad.........

[maxi]

yeah it takes years to recover from an event like this..

ash dusky was talking about putting in and going for a real good look this arvo but i just let the idea die in conversation as i dont really want to see it....im sad enough as it is..

[Gazza]

That sux and I was thinking of coming your way soon too Bugger

Gaz

[chubbstar]

Do the media know about it? Contact them, bring it to everyones attention. Do people swim in this river Tourists etc that could be another angle?

Jayson

[Dinodadog]

Maxi where was most of the deaths, I am from down Lismore way, one pic looked a lot like Pimlico . It sure bis bad news.

Dino

[maxi]

yeah jayson, its big news down here , been on the abc country hour, local papers etc etc..dpi are fully involved..

dino its mainly from coraki down , about 60 to 70 ks of the river..

ellicat..it does effect all of the local community even if its just the stench coming off the river..everyone suffers in one way or another...

[MichaelJ]

that would suck so much!

[Plastic Man]

that really suxs how long will it take to get back to normal

[maxi]

yeah it sux big time...could take up to 2 years or so to get the breeding happening again

[maxi]

it happened they have shut the river indefinately..monthly reviews will be taken....i suspect 6 mths at least....im pi**ed off.....

Maxi

[Angus]

Maxi you will have to come visit us more

Angus

[Dan23]

You'll have to drive up to the Bruns. Come to think of it, lots of people will probably do that. Hope it doesn't get too crowded.

[maxi]

haha angus..

yeah the bruns or evans or the clarence will be on the hit list for sure..

[Angus]

Make check out the link in my footer and see if any of those events will tickle your fancy...

Angus

[maxi]

thanks mate ...will see what brings in the future...going marlin fishin mid march and the rest of my life is unknown at this stage..hahahaha,,,would be great to come up and fish with you all..see what happens....

Maxi

[Feral]

The Maroochy river here gets kills like that on a semi regular basis, been a few years since the last one though. In the case of the Maroochy though it is suspected it is the local farmers chemicals runoff from spraying activities not done correctly, or deliberately using the wrong poison.