Death of eel raises concerns

Residents near the creek that runs into Correa Bay near Dulkara Rd have been ringing council and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) over the death of a 120cm eel found in the creek about a week before Christmas.

Residents were concerned that the eel may have died through herbicide poisoning because council had been clearing unwanted reeds from the creek at the time.

However, environmentalist and Umina resident, Mr Bryan Ellis, said there was no sign of death from herbicide use.

"Residents reported the death to me," he said.

"Some of them were furious, but the EPA told me that no evidence of herbicide was found.

"The man from the EPA was the same one who found council negligent in herbicide use at Kincumber High School.

"Council's spraying was a shambles before that, but now it's virtually bullet-proof."

Mr Ellis said the cause of the eel's death was put down to low oxygen levels in the water.

"There was an oxygen reading of zero," he said.

"Although I don't think that was the reason because eels can gulp air from the surface, so they don't need it in the water."

Another possible factor was the high water temperature.

Mr Ellis said that there were deep holes with cooler water that eels could find.

"Nobody seems to know why it died. It could have been natural causes," he said.

"A couple of days later there were no dead eels.

"However, the water quality is crap.

"Everything in the creek is under stress and herbicide may be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

"It's a cumulative thing.

"All council want to do is spray and dredge.

"The water needs to be shaded with vegetation.

"Council only needs to spend tens of thousands of dollars to employ bush regeneration workers.

"Yet they spend millions on cricket pitches and things like Graham Park stadium."

A spokesperson for council said no animals apart from the eel were found dead.

Mr Ellis will also hold a residents' forum through the Save Our Central Coast Suburbs group (SOCCS) at East Gosford on January 31 at 7.30pm to fight against urban consolidation.

"Urban consolidation is destroying our lifestyle while the State is planning to force us to accept another 100,000 people living here," he said.

"Premier Bob Carr said the people of Sydney don't like the pressures for urban consolidation and neither do the people of the Central Coast.

"Residents and community were effectively locked out of the recent forums organised by the State Government to plan for our future.

"SOCCS believe that the ordinary residents deserve to have their say on how our future is shaped.

"We are inviting guest speakers from councils that have been successful in stemming the unplanned tide of urban consolidation."

For more information on the forum telephone Mr Ellis on 4342 2251.

Carl Spears, January 11