Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has received test results indicating that the fish death incident in the Anglesea River estuary this week was likely due to natural causes.
EPA had received a report from a member of the public that up to 100 dead fish were in the river, but when officers attended the site on Tuesday about 12 dead fish were seen.
The water sample test results are consistent with initial testing indicating that the incident was likely due to rainfall runoff from acid-containing soils in the upper catchment of the Anglesea River.
To protect public health when the Anglesea River is acidic, Surf Coast Shire Council, Department of Health and Human Services and EPA advise the public not to eat dead or dying fish and not to swim (or allow their pets to swim) in the river as this may cause eye or skin irritation.