A Sunshine Coast beach was reportedly strewn with small dead fish last weekend, but authorities have offered no explanation.
Beachgoer Bradley Vellenoweth said he saw schools of fish along a stretch of sand.
He posted some photos on a local community Facebook page.
“If any fishermen want some free bait there are currently thousands of dead fish washed up and still washing up on Marcoola Beach. You’re welcome,” he said on Saturday at 7.51pm.
Another poster, Justin Carroll, also said he saw at least a dozen dead birds between the Marcoola Surf Club and the Marcoola Beach Resort.
WARNING: An image in this article may distress some readers
Tim Buitenhuis, who was fishing at Yaroomba on Saturday morning, weighed in with possible explanations.
“Huge schools of baitfish getting smashed by sharks and other fish so some of them are getting washed up on the beaches,” he said.
“And I think they’re mutton birds and they’ve travelled a very long way and they’re tired – some of them don’t make it.”
Officials have been unable to explain the reported sightings of dead fish.
Sunshine Coast Council referred SCN to the state government.
However, the Department of Environment, Tourism Science and Innovation and the Department of Primary Industries said it was not a matter for them. The former said it had not received a report of such an event at Marcoola, while the latter said the incident did not appear to be related to commercial fishing operations.
The council stated that only a “small number” of fish were subsequently found on the section of beach and “no clean-up was required” but did not say when staff attended.
But a council spokesperson did comment on the presence of dead birds along the region’s coastline.
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“During spring and summer, short-tailed shearwaters migrate to Australia from the Northern Hemisphere.”
“Each year, some of these migratory seabirds die of exhaustion or natural causes during their long journey and wash up on Sunshine Coast beaches. Dead shearwaters are more likely to appear during strong onshore winds.
“Council is aware of this seasonal occurrence and monitors reports as they arise. This is a natural event that happens annually along various coastal areas. Our coastal team are seeing between 1 to 10 dead birds per day along the entire coastline, which is within the normal range for this time of year.
“If you come across dead or sick wildlife, please avoid contact and keep pets away. If you find multiple dead birds, record the location, date, and time, and report to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888. You can also report to council via the website or by calling 5475 7272.”
The DETSI added that pollution events can be reported to the department’s Pollution Hotline.
SCN reached out to Marcoola Surf Life Saving Club for comments and approached Mr Vellenoweth for further information. This publication also contacted multiple universities for expert commentary.
