Dead fish came from commercial fishing

Hundreds of dead fish that washed up on Killcare Beach on May 6 were the result of a commercial fishing operation gone awry, according to the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Killcare residents awoke on May 6 to find hundreds of mullet littering the beach.

Many residents were concerned a water quality issue or other unnatural event may have caused the event.

However, the Department stated that the wash up was that result of a legal commercial fishing operation.

"The Department has been advised that the mullet observed washed up on Killcare Beach are the result of a legal commercial fishing ocean hauling operation," said NSW DPI media officer Ms Sarah Wright.

"The fisher has told DPI that there was a problem with a net, and some mullet were lost and were found washed up later after the fishers had left the area.

"The fishers have since returned once to collect and remove dead fish and will return again to ensure the site is cleaned up as well as possible," she said.

SOURCE:

Media statement, 7 May 2019

Sarah Wright, NSW DPI