GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - It appears that the fish deaths in the Touw River in Wilderness have ended for now. SANParks section ranger Jonathan Britton said the phenomenon "has followed a similar short-lived pattern we observed during the winter of 2019 and 2020".
After a reader recently shared concern regarding dead fish in the river with George Herald, SANParks stressed that it has been investigating the matter together with a number of specialists and that there was "no need for panic".
According to Britton, rangers had found no "new" dead fish linked to this mortality event between 7 and 16 August. Dead fish have been observed upstream toward Island Lake, but the numbers were insignificantly low and within normal mortality rates.
This was also confirmed by a report received over the weekend from a local resident who is assisting with monitoring localities of the dead fish.
Tissue samples have been collected from the organs, fatty tissue and skin of fish and sent for histopathological analysis as well as fungal and bacteriological cultures.
The aim of the histopathology is to examine biological and pathogenic processes to try and identify a possible explanation for the fish deaths.
"We have not yet received these results. Water quality analysis conducted have proved results are still within normal parameters for the estuary," said Britton.
The water quality and biological monitoring programme in the Touw River estuary has been ongoing and uninterrupted since 1990 and serves as a good baseline with which to compare the current conditions and results.
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