Murray Cod Hatcheries PFAS fish deformities a result of contamination

“I’m an expert in water quality, toxicology, genetics, and agriculture, and I was just scratching my head trying to figure it out,” said the 63-year-old.

Ever since he bought the business in 1996, the fish in his ponds have been plagued by ills.

Some have developed defects, others have exhibited lower reproductive ability, most have died early.

Now he may have a reason for the fish’s untimely demise.

Known as pre-fluoralkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances – or PFAS – has been noted in high concentrates around the hatcheries. 

A synthetic chemical, PFAS was formerly used in firefighting foam in the 1970s, before its dangers were explored in greater depth.

The Defence Department base at Forest Hill once used the foam, which may have resulted in chemical run-off in the surrounding townships.

“The problem is, you can’t detect the chemicals via conventional water tests,” said Mr Semple.

In his first year at the fisheries, Mr Semple managed to raise 1.2 million healthy fingerlings across one hectare of ponds.

Towards the middle of the first season, Mr Semple describes seeing foam rising up through the paddocks surrounding the hatcheries.

By 2005, there were barely any healthy fish left, and those that had been brought into the farm were struggling to stay alive.

Now, 23 years after his first season, Mr Semple has had to abandon the operation altogether.

“There’s no way I can run this place as a hatchery any more,” he said.

“The first thing you need for a hatchery is a big supply of quality water. I can’t sell the fish in good faith, even though legally I still could. It’s so full of toxic chemicals, I couldn’t do it.”

Over the years, Mr Semple began his own preliminary investigations.

“I obtained some fish from the state fisheries, where there wasn’t any contamination, and put them into de-chlorinated water, they had close to 100 per cent survival rate,” he said.

“Everyone one of the fish in bore or pond water died within about two weeks.”

The contamination has also effected the hatcheries’ biodiversity, with the water’s micro-crustaceans all but vanishing.

“The dragonflies here are stunted, they’re about half the size they would normally be,” said Mr Semple.

“There’s less organism diversity, some have just disappeared altogether, and they used to be so prolific.”

This year, Mr Semple will continue to run the hatcheries as a test ground, to determine the effects of PFAS on agriculture for academic purposes.

But tests conducted by Mr Semple along with the Department of Defence have indicated that PFAS levels in his fish are 103 times the recommended consumption standard, and the water 101 times the expected for agricultural use.

Going forward, Mr Semple fears there will be no avenue to return his business to a thriving agricultural venture.

“There is no way to decontaminate it entirely,” he said.

“The best option is to retain the water in here, because it’s better of being contained than running off and contaminating elsewhere.”