• Williamstown, Altona, Laverton Star

13th January 2009 11:06:06 AM

---

A STUDY to determine if fish in the lower Yarra River have been contaminated started yesterday (12 January) to ensure the fish which recreational fishers catch will be safe to eat.

The Warmies in Newport will be one research area used in the study, where the Environment Protection Authority will catch black Bream and yellow-eye mullet and will be overseen by the Office of Environmental Monitoring (OEM).

These varieties of fish will also be caught at South Wharf in the Docklands.

One hundred and twenty fish will be sampled for contaminates such as copper, arsenic, mercury, pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

This study follows from the 2005 and 2006 Lower Yarra River Fish Study, which found levels of these contaminates were at a safe level.

OEM monitor Mick Bourke said the 2009 study would determine whether levels of contaminates were consistent with the 2006 study.

“This study will be more extensive than the 2006 study,” he said.

“We’re not seeing anything of concern in other studies of water quality, so I don’t expect this fish study to bring out any surprises.”

Mr Bourke said the contaminates found in the 2006 study were consistent with what would be found in an urban environment.

“Contaminates come off the roads, tyres, roofs and industrial processes and find their way to the river,” he said.

“The office will keep the community up-to-date on the progress of the study as well as scrutinise and publicly report the results to the community in a meaningful way.

“The difference between 2006 and today is the dredging, with sediment being moved from the north of the bay.

“The community needs to be ensured that the fish are safe to eat.”

Mr Bourke said the results would be reviewed by an independent expert group, which will compare the 2009 results with the 2006 results.

“We need to have more caution with recreational anglers as they keep more and eat more fish than the general population,” he said.

The study will be conducted in four stages, from catching the fish to analysis.

Results should be available in May.

To see the 2006 results visit www.epa.vic.gov.au/water/rivers/fish_sampling.asp.

---

Popular Stories