18th March 2025
The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state's leading environmental advocacy organisation, has called for vital state government reform in response to ongoing mass fish deaths on the NSW North Coast.
The unnatural frequency of fish kill events in North Coast rivers is caused by the loss of floodplain wetlands, but government regulations are directing wetland restoration investment away from our state.
"We know restoring wetlands like the Tuckean, where water has become as acidic as lemon juice, would reduce these mass mortality events after high rainfall," said NCC's Coastal Wetlands Campaigner, Sam Johnson.
"Unfortunately, approvals for wetland restoration in NSW can take years and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, making many great projects unviable."
Statements attributable to Sam Johnson, NCC's Coastal Wetlands Campaigner:
"For the second time in three years, North Coast communities are witnessing thousands of dead or dying fish lining their riverbanks.
"The sight of gasping fish fighting to escape the river is horrific, especially for flood-affected communities who've experienced similar events so recently.
"Unfortunately, mass deaths are likely to continue for a number of days, and the worst may be yet to come.
"This is terrible news not only for the environment, but also primary industries who will once again be forced to confront the viability of their businesses.
"We know blackwater and acid runoff are the likely culprit, a result of past draining and clearing of wetland habitats.
"High rainfall events and toxic runoff will increase with climate change, so we must act now to restore our wetlands.
"The state government should respond to these ongoing fish kills by prioritising the creation of a nature restoration SEPP (State Environment Planning Policy).
"The Minister for Water, Rose Jackson, can act right now by amending the Water Management Regulation to reduce red tape for wetland restoration.
"The NSW Government can make simple, targeted amendments to regulations, to reduce the frequency of these events."
