Polluters kill 282 eels and fish

29 January 2008

Two hundred and thirty-five eels and 47 fish were killed at the weekend after part of the Omaru Creek was polluted.

Pollution Response Officers spent several hours over the weekend cleaning-up the stream and removing the dead eels and fish.

Auckland Regional Council (ARC) Pollution Response Officer Toby Barach says the cause of the fish and eels deaths is so far unconfirmed, but chemical burns on the eels and fish are consistent with concrete wastewater.

“Wastewater from concrete activities is highly alkaline and extremely toxic to stream life. It attacks sensitive membranes such as gills and skin so freshwater life essentially burns to death.

More fish and eels are likely to die because they have severe chemical burns, he says.

“These urban streams support a variety of aquatic life and it will take a long time for this part of the stream to recover,” says Mr Barach.

ARC’s Pollution Response Officers are back at the scene today continuing their investigations into the cause of the incident.

The ARC is appealing to anyone who has any information about the pollution incident to contact the ARC 24 Water Pollution Hotline on 377 3107.

ENDS

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