Independent candidate for Cowper, Rob Oakeshott, has released photos he referred to on ABC Radio National breakfast last week depicting fish-kills and blackwater events in north coast rivers, including Belmore River at Gladstone.
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"After getting credible verification I am releasing seven of the photos I mentioned in last weeks interview with Fran Kelly on RN. They show examples of fish-kills from either deoxygenated or acidic water - often called blackwater events - and were sent to me by a local contact concerned about the health of our north coast rivers," Mr Oakeshott said.
"What we see in these photos obviously doesn't come close to the scale of the fish-kills witnessed at Menindee Lakes, where an estimated one million fish died. But there appears to be a similar lack of information being shared with the community and a similar lack of enthusiasm for engaging in any strategy to help prevent this happening again.
"These photos appear to be from 2015 until now, and I am surprised the community has not previously been informed by State and Federal Governments about what is happening," he said.
"I am not arguing fish-kills are new, and I am aware they can occur naturally. But their frequency is rising, and I am receiving reports of increasing concern from local Elders, professional and recreational fishers, oyster farmers, and tourism operators.
"The information on fish-kills should be public, so we can all track the size and trend of these kills and help minimise it happening in the future," Mr Oakeshott said.
"The community has a right to know when these events occur, instead of being left in the dark on blackwater events within our region."
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