Fish Kill (Mass Fish Die Off)

Who to call

If you see large numbers of dead fish report the matter to the 24 hour FISHWATCH hotline on 1800 065 522.

View Fish Kill Factsheet: Fish Kills in SA - Frequently Asked Questions (PDF 486.5 KB) OR Fish Kills in SA - Frequently Asked Questions (HTML)

If dead or dying abalone are discovered, report the matter to the 24 hour FISHWATCH hotline on 1800 065 522. 
More information on the abalone virus.

What they need to know

  • Where the fish have been seen (preferably latitude and longitude)
  • Your name and contact details
  • The species of fish or other aquatic organisms involved (give a description if you don't know the species name)
  • The approximate number of fish or the size of the area affected
  • When it occurred, if known
  • The weather conditions now and expected
  • Tide details
  • Any noticeable water discolouration

Collecting samples

In some circumstances you might want to collect samples for further examination. Some general guidelines are:

Fish/aquatic organisms

  • Collect near dead or recently-dead fish
  • If possible store collected fish in a plastic bag and place in ice slurry
  • In some cases frozen samples may be acceptable
  • Where possible use gloves or some other method to avoid contact with samples on unprotected skin 
  • Contact FISHWATCH for delivery instructions


Water samples

  • Water samples can be collected in any clean glass or plastic container
  • Rinse the container several times in water you are going to collect
  • Fill container approximately two-thirds full and seal
  • Store at room temperature except in extreme heat (in this case refrigerate – do not freeze)
  • Contact FISHWATCH for delivery instructions