Stink over dead fish

Last updated 05:00 05/02/2014
Fish Stink

GHASTLY SIGHT: Beachgoers are turned off by the large number of fish skeletons that lie on the shore at Mellons Bay for days and create a nasty stink.

Fish Stink
TURNED OFF: Sandy Good and her dog Kane love visiting Mellons Bay. But she’s sick of turning up to the beach and being greeted by fish carcasses.

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THERE'S something fishy going on down at a popular beach and residents are fed up.

People use Mellons Bay for swimming, walking, and fishing, but at least one angler is gutting fish and leaving the skeletons to rot.

Sandy Good has watched a fisherman fillet his catch and throw the carcasses into the sea for several years.

But the skeletons often leave a dangerous mess and are scattered around the area by seagulls.

"One kid had a broken fishbone in his foot and someone else had to take their dog to the vet because he had a fishbone caught in his throat."

The lingering smell is also a big problem, she says.

"The fish hang around for days and days.

"Sometimes there are 20 fish and they take six days to go.

"You can imagine what state they're in by then."

But no one has confronted the fisherman as far as she's aware.

"Like most people I don't really like confrontation," she says.

Mrs Good says it's "gross and disgusting" and is pleading with the culprit and others to stop.

"If they want to fish good on them. But please just stop throwing your carcasses into the sea.

"It's about being responsible. If everyone else can manage to throw their carcasses away, then why can't they too?"

Council bylaws forbid anyone from cleaning fish or leaving any remains on a reserve or beach.

Bylaws and compliance manager Max Wilde says offenders could be prosecuted.

The Litter Act also prohibits littering, he says.

"Leaving fish carcasses on the beach would constitute littering and the council is able to issue instant fines under this act."

Mr Wilde urges people to contact the council on 301 0101 and provide as much detail as possible if they see anyone throwing away fish carcasses.

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- © Fairfax NZ News

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