Massive Fish Kill Devastates Northern NSW Waterways

Oxygen-starved blackwater from Cyclone Alfred's flooding has killed thousands of aquatic creatures, prompting cleanup efforts and calls for wetland restoration.

• Flooding from Tropical Cyclone Alfred has caused blackwater events, depleting oxygen levels in waterways and killing thousands of fish, eels, and mud crabs.
• Critically low oxygen levels, measured as low as 0.4 milligrams per litre, have suffocated aquatic life in the Richmond, Clarence, and Macleay Rivers.
• Residents and council workers have removed tonnes of decaying fish from affected areas, including Ballina canals, Gawandii Beach, and Shaws Bay.
• The stench of blackwater and decaying fish has disrupted daily life for locals, forcing them to keep homes sealed against the odor.
• Experts advocate for restoring wetlands like the Tuckean Swamp to filter blackwater and prevent future mass fish kills in the region.

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Brisbane Times 9News The Sydney Morning Herald