Massive Australian fish kill sparks outrage

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02:27

Jeremy Buckingham, a member of parliament for the Australian state of New South Wales, gagged as he held a massive dead fish in a video he posted detailing his outrage over a massive fish kill in western New South Wales. More than a million fish died along a 20-kilometer stretch of the Darling River.

Jeremy Buckingham, NSW member of parliament Jeremy Buckingham, on the right. /Reuters Photo

“Unfortunately we saw some poor water quality issues because of the lack of flow in our rivers,” said the state's Minister for Regional Water and Primary Industries Niall Blair. “That led to blue green algae building up and then we saw a sudden drop in temperature. That killed the algae and it was the breaking down of that dead algae that used up all of the oxygen in the water and led to the fish kill.”

State officials say the drought gripping New South Wales has added to a lack of river flow along the Murray Darling Basin, Australia's largest river system. But some people who live along the river system blame the die-offs on poor management, claiming precious water is diverted to larger farms at the expense of people and towns down river.

“I've seen the fact that it has taken water out of productive communities for very little reason and some parts of the system have borne more of the pain than others,” said Blair.

Massive fish kill in Menindee, NSW. /Reuters Photo

There is growing concern that what's happening in Menindee could result in lower fish stocks in waterways in other parts of the country, because the lakes there are considered an engine room for breeding certain species of fish.

Australia's Darling River. /Reuters Photo

"These yellow bellies supply 80 percent of the yellow belly to the whole Murray Darling Basin, and without that the Menindee Lakes system working effectively, that basically cuts off the womb of the whole system,” said Menindee resident Graeme McCrabb.

(Top Photo: A massive dead fish kill fills an empty boat slip at a marina. /VCG Photo)