Locals living along the coast of Perth's southern suburbs are attempting to uncover the cause behind a foul-smelling sludge that washed up on many of the area's main beaches on Tuesday morning.
Beaches in Rockingham, Safety Bay, Cockburn and Fremantle reported detecting the smell, with a significant amount of algae found on many of the suburban beaches.
![A photo taken near Safety Bay on Tuesday.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180418141027im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/y/y/a/i/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.p4zadu.png/1524042706401.jpg)
While many locals pinched their noses and hoped for the wind to change, Tim Barlow of Tim's Tackle Plus in Guildford took matters into his own hands when a friend and customer told him about their experience fishing near Point Peron earlier in the week.
"What brought it to a head was one of my customers yesterday caught some crayfish by Point Peron," he said.
"He took them home, went to cook them – and excuse the language – but when he cracked them open they looked like sh-t, the flesh was brown, and it actually smelled like sh-t.
"He actually had to wash his hands multiple times to get rid of the stench after breaking them open. It’s pretty disgusting.
"The beaches down there stink. I’ve got a fella walking around Safety Bay right now and he’s found a few dead seagulls – a little bit more than normal.
"I’ve got a few other images I’ve been sent of fluro green algae just staining the sand and stuff.
"There’s a lot of algae growing – there’s a pink algae, there’s a green algae, and then there’s the brown effluent itself."
Mr Barlow reported what he saw to Recfishwest, who said they had since contacted the Water Corporation about it.
It's understood fishermen were concerned about a possible link with the Water Corp's recent works on a major upgrade of the Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plant.
"The photos we have seen today and the calls we have received to our office from fishers are very concerning," Recfishwest chief executive officer Andrew Rowland said.
"Having healthy fish habitats and good water quality is critical for healthy fish stocks.
"We push hard to protect water quality and habitat, minimise rubbish and pollution in our aquatic environment, and we are continually working with partners to improve how these systems are managed.
"With all the resources of government, we are hopeful answers can be provided on this issue.
"Cockburn Sound and adjacent waters are critically important for fishing and recreation. This area is under enormous pressure and we need to look after it better.
"Given new reports of waste water being released into the environment, we’d hope to see a quick response from authorities that should result in the collection of fresh samples for testing.
"Recfishwest is currently seeking clarification on what is going on here as our community are looking for reassurance that it is safe to swim and fish."
Testing of water near the Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plant outlet, which sits 4km from shore, showed elevated microbiology levels back in February and Fisheries attempted to determine if there was a link with more than 150 dead mullet and jellyfish earlier in the month.
However, it was determined they were too decomposed to determine any link with the elevated microbiology.
As a precaution, water users were warned about swimming, diving, kayaking or fishing within 1km of a wastewater outlet off the coast of Cape Peron in Rockingham late last month.
The fishing restriction included shell fishing, crabbing and cray fishing, with results from further sampling to determine when the warning could be lifted.
It is currently still active.
The Water Corporation said Tuesday's event was most likely due to an "algal bloom", as supported by a statement made by the City of Rockingham last week.
"The algal bloom at Shoalwater Bay is not a result of the temporary decline in the quality of treated wastewater leaving the Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plant," a spokeswoman said.
"It is important to note the Water Corporation’s precautionary advice is in place for an area four kilometres offshore from Cape Peron and does not impact nearby beaches.
"There is no impact on beaches – this is supported by the Water Corporation’s own water quality sampling, including at Shoalwater Bay.
"The algal bloom, Trichodesmium erythraeum, is known to occur around Australia and is unique in its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen.
"Advice from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions was that the algal bloom was widespread along the Perth coast and parts of Rottnest, indicating that it was not associated with the temporary wastewater issue.
"Water Corporation’s modelling also consistently demonstrates the flow of water from its ocean outfall typically moves in a north-west direction, which is away from Shoalwater Bay."
However, Mr Barlow said he struggled to believe this finding.
"You’ve seen the photos, you can see it’s not just algae – don’t zoom in too close, you might see things you don’t want to see," he said.
"Basically the wind has changed over the last few days and pushed it to the shore. We’ve been harping on about it for a couple of months."
But Water Corporation said its tests had been thorough and nearby beaches were safe.
"Water Corporation reassures the local community the treated wastewater from the ocean outfall four kilometres offshore is not impacting nearby beaches," a spokesperson said.
"Ongoing sampling of the treated wastewater from the Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plant is under way, and recent results show the quality has improved significantly.
"Water Corporation will continue to work with its regulators to determinewhen its precautionary advice can be lifted."