Mass fish kill near Karratha on Western Australia’s Pilbara coast attributed to marine heatwave caused by climate change
Concern that overheated water is heading south towards WA’s marine treasures of Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth Gulf and Shark Bay
Calls for public updates from relevant ministers in response to marine heatwave
The mass fish kill along Western Australia’s Pilbara coast caused by a marine heatwave demonstrates how real and devastating the impacts of climate change can be, the Australian Marine Conservation Society said today.
More than 30,000 fish have washed up dead on Gnoorea Beach from a marine heatwave along the north-west WA coast that now threatens the world-renowned Exmouth Gulf-Ningaloo Reef ecosystem and moves southwards towards other marine treasures including Shark Bay.
Australian Marine Conservation Society WA Director Paul Gamblin said: “We are calling for greater transparency and regular updates from state and federal ministers about the developing marine heatwave. We know that the 2010-11 marine heatwave caused massive damage so if this isn’t a red alert event that demands government action, what is? The community should be getting frequent updates from government as this destructive heatwave evolves.
“Iconic WA marine environments such as Ningaloo-Exmouth Gulf and Shark Bay support significant fishing and tourism economies. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has provided useful information on the heatwave, but a wider government response to this serious event is urgently required.
“It’s obvious that opening yet more oil and gas projects is the height of irresponsibility when we are witnessing mass fish kills, bleached corals and cascading impacts across coastal communities. It’s time we listened to our scientists and considered the future of our coastal communities and economic sectors that rely on a healthy marine environment. We should be reducing pressure on our marine environment at places like Exmouth Gulf and Scott Reef every way we can, not the opposite.”
A DPIRD spokesperson said severe marine heatwave conditions had been observed off WA’s north-west coast in recent weeks. The DPIRD has indicated strong concerns that the overheated water will cause further damage in the Gascoyne, home to Ningaloo Reef-Exmouth Gulf and Shark Bay, before moving southwards along the coast. A similar heatwave event in 2010-11 created major losses in commercial fisheries which are still being felt to date, and decimated 1300 square kilometres of seagrass in World Heritage-listed Shark Bay.
The latest phenomenon was initially detected in September last year and declared a moderate heatwave, but conditions have warmed since then. The concern now is that warmer water could cause devastating loss of marine life and habitat such as coral and seagrass in areas such as Ningaloo, Exmouth Gulf and Shark Bay.