The cause of a mass fish death incident in Tasmania’s south has come under investigation by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
Dozens of dead and dying fish were discovered in the Dover Rivulet near Dover Beach, south of Huonville, on Tuesday.
According to the EPA, the likely cause of death is the decrease in the Rivulet’s water flow due to recent dry weather.
Preliminary testing has revealed extremely low dissolved oxygen levels of 0mg/L and no evidence of oil or other chemicals in the water.
The Huon Valley Council said it is “unlikely” the fish deaths came about as the result of a spill or toxic substance.
“Dover Rivulet is an intermittently closed and open lagoon which has recently been flushed by a high tide and is currently at a very low water level,” the council said.
“It is likely the high tide flush which introduced salt water and stirred up sediment combined with low freshwater inflow due to our very dry summer has created a low oxygen environment in which fish cannot survive.”
