Original story by Liam Parsons, The Cairns Post
AUTHORITIES are still trying to confirm reports of a highly invasive fish species in one of Cape York's most pristine rivers.
Officers from Fisheries Queensland are yet to travel to the remote Jackson River, north of Weipa, to investigate whether the tilapia has spread north.
Mozambique Tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus - a noxious pest fish
The freshwater fish is listed as one of the world's 100 worst introduced pest species and can be found throughout Cairns, Lake Tinaroo and in the Wet Tropics.
Tilapia can cause havoc in waterways due to its tendency to eat the eggs of other fish and drive away native species.
John Charlton, who runs fishing charter company Cape York Adventures, said he had been inundated by calls and emails from people concerned about the fish's presence on Cape York.
"It would be like finding cane toads on Lizard Island," he said. "These rivers are pristine and run all year around, they support a lot of fragile life and species."
James Cook University Adjunct Principal Research Fellow Geoff McPherson, a former Fisheries Queensland worker who has studied the behaviour of tilapia, said more sophisticated methods were needed to detect and manage them.
Mr McPherson has monitored the tilapia in Centennial Lakes in Cairns, where it is deeply entrenched. He said there had been success interstate and overseas using amplified noise underwater to disrupt the breeding patterns and to help trap invasive fish.
"We found we could utilise the sounds and use them against the fish themselves," he said.
A Fisheries Queensland spokeswoman said the department was yet to receive photos confirming tilapia in the Jackson River.Sightings should be reported with a clear photograph and location details to Fisheries Queensland on13 25 23 or at the website fisheries.qld.gov.au
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