There are growing concerns for wild fish populations after 20,000 kingfish escaped a fish farm last week off Port Stephens.
The pens in the fish farm, jointly run by the NSW state-government and Tasmania based Huon Aquaculture, were destroyed in rough seas, releasing the predatory fish into the marine park.
Marine Parks Association Chairman, Frank Future said it is difficult to predict how other fish will be affected due to the lack of an impact assessment on the farm.
"These are top end predators who will be starving and looking to feed on anything," he said.
The pen, damaged by ocean swells and allowing the fish to escape, was designed to withstand waves of up to 15 metres.
Frank Future said he questions whether the waters were close to this height when the pen was damaged.
"They said it was an 11-metre sea that was measured by one of their boys but when I searched the Bureau site the highest seas were six metres. I couldn't see the pen properly engineered, there was massive damage to them."
The project was 18-months into a five-year research project. The breach of the pen has resulted in the farm losing half its stock, with a retail value of more than $2 million.
Only 3,000 fish were able to be recaptured after the escape.
Commercial and recreational fishermen attempted to make the most of the situation, trying to catch the fish in the surrounding area.
Authorities have since closed down the area for fishing until the 7th February.
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| The kingfish trial site located off Port Stephens. Source: The Herald |
