Delta Electricity said they were being “a good local citizen” collecting and disposing of dead fish at Mannering Park in Lake Macquarie.
Last month the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) were alerted to hundreds of dead fish washing up on the shores at Mannering Park and conducted an investigation that found the fish kill was likely the result of a natural event.
The EPA is investigating this latest fish kill and have collected water and fish samples as a part of their investigation.
On Tuesday Delta Electricity, who own Vales Point Power Station said in a statement they became aware of the dead fish and contacted the EPA.
The Hunter Community Environment Centre claimed they saw Delta employees collecting the fish, throwing them in the back of utes and driving away.
Delta said in a statement:
“Rather than leave fish to rot on the shoreline, Delta (as a good local citizen) deployed some staff to assist with the clean-up. There were about 100 fish, mostly mullet, and claims of ‘a total of three ute loads of fish were removed from the lake’ are incorrect.
“Delta has undertaken its own investigations and has fully co-operated with the EPA as part of its investigations, which included EPA site attendance and water sampling yesterday.
“Additionally, claims by the HCEC that the ‘NSW EPA finding that thermal pollution from the Vales Point outlet was a contributing factor to the August 6th fish kill’ is selective and misleading, ignoring the headline statement from the EPA that ‘Investigations of the recent fish kill at Mannering Park, Lake Macquarie, show it was likely a natural event’.”
The NSW EPA investigation into this second fish kill continues.