Charleville cod found dead from Blackwater

As of Monday afternoon the Charleville Fishing & Restocking Club had retrieved 77 cod and three yellow belly from the river which has recently started running again. 

Blackwater fish kills usually occur when large rainfall causes carbon matter to be swept up and to break down. Oxygen levels than drop causing large fish to die. 

Charleville received 50mm of rain on January 14 and 15 with more showers in the area last week. 

The Charleville Fishing & Restocking Club was established in 1992 and have placed 604,000 yellow belly and 51,300 cod into the Langlow, Warrego and Ward rivers.

Club president Mick Ward said he had never seen anything like the Blackwater event before.

“It’s not good especially when you put all your time and effort into restocking,” he said.

“I’ve never seen it before and I’ve been around a fair bit. 

“Saturday morning I got a phone call from someone who lives on the river there and we went up there pulling all the fish out.

“It’s not real good but what can you do it’s nature way of telling.”

Water samples have also been sent away for testing.

A Blackwater fish kill also took place in the southern Murray-Darling Basin system late last year while the Goulburn River was also affected in early January.