I would be more concerned about the 3 people eaten by white pointers in 3 weeks around Perth. Time for fish and chips I think.

I must tell you all of the time that my family was poisoned by pesticides. The first symptom was, that we all broke out in multiple boils. My son being the youngest and smallest at the time (thereby receiving the largest proportionate dose), almost died from a boil in his septum.

The medical profession sought to treat our boils, whilst more boils appeared and the situation worsened. In desperation I asked a natropath friend for advice. His response was that boils were evidence of blood poisoning and advised us to seek out the source of the poison. When we did, we discovered a white waxy layer applied underneath our rented home. I proved to be termite poison, massively over applied. We immediately moved in defiance of our lease. We didn't get our bond back and boils went away. And my son thankfully recovered.

The fish story in Gladstone is only one side, the other is the subject of the link I'm providing now.

http://www.theage.com.au/environment/fishermen-breaking-out-in-boils-20111004-1l6x0.html

My above personal example involves an area of pesticide contamination of 25 squares. In an area the size Gladstone Harbour and beyond, for contact with the water to produce boils amongst the commercial fisherman in the Gladstone area of a similar gravity and identical to my own family's experience when poisoned by pesticides, confirms that this is not a natural event.

Anyone proposing that precedents in nature exist for the type of event we are seeing of the scale of the Gladstone problem, should go join the Ostrich Party with the climate change skeptics. Maybe after in a flood near the Fukishima Nuclear plant may the fish look like Gladstones.

Meanwhile the authorities are doing much at all, hoping the problem is taken away somewhere else by the currents, but I predict that only way the commercial fisherman of the Gladstone area will see a cessation of the symptoms above, will be to divorce themselves from their livelihood and the waters around Gladstone.

The wildlife however, doesn't have much choice in the matter.

T2
The Four Corners report was fairly even-handed in it's reporting on this issue. One thing is for certain, there will be a lot of finger pointing, diversions and spin before the truth about contamination in Gladstone Harbour is revealed.

Some interesting information on legislative loopholes around water testing.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/dredge-loophole-endangers-harbour-water/story-e6freoof-1226188226637

There are plans for more port developments along the coast of QLD from Townsville up with increased ship activity risking marine wildlife and the GBR. One sometimes has to question human nature in regard to chasing dollars to the detriment of the environment. Will it take a catastrophic man-made disaster before all Australians come together to ensure the environment is habitable for future generations. It shouldn't just be labelled a Green issue, it is always a people issue.

Sorry, thinker 2 but I don't think that pesticides are the problem here.

The type of colouration and lesions seen on the fish in your link are more reminiscent of infection by microorganisms, such as potentially Pfiesteria, although any potential causal agent has not been reported yet, to my knowledge.

Pesticides tend not to develop such symptoms, even in acute cases. I'm not a head-in-the-sand denialist, believe me, but I don't think your'e on the right wicket here.

The case is definitely concerning, and there may be an environmental problem in Gladstone, with changes in pH of the water affecting the balance of infectious microorganism activity in the water, but that is all a hypothesis until investigation proves otherwise. In any case, I don't think it is indicative of environmental collapse, and Belly might have the right of it.

But furthermore, I do have a special interest in pesticides generally, and I would like to hear more about this 'termite poison' that formed a 'white waxy layer' under the house. Which pesticide did it prove to be in the end?

One more link if I may because I'm trying to make the point that the dredging (unless it is stirring up poison of the toxicity of pesticides) is probably not the entire cause of the Gladstone disaster. Both sides get a voice on this ABC local video.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-04/commercial-fishermen-in-gladstone-harbour-call-for/3636740

cheers T2

Bugsy after all these years, I can say, that I was hardly concerned about what type of termite application it was, except to say that the landlord confirmed that it was termite spray to us at the property when we enquired as to the nature of the substance.

When I say a white waxy substance it was tangibly thick and had the appearance of a waxy substance. I never was game to touch it except to poke it with a stick. It did not break up into bits but pushed around like a soft foamy waxy substance if you know what I mean. It looked like it was applied then allowed to dry, then applied again, allowed to dry again etc and so on.

I admit Bugsy that my observation that it was massively over applied, was my own logical assessment, based on the assumption that it shouldn't look like that, or be that thick, and knowing the compulsive obsessive nature of the landlord re snakes,spiders, bugs, ticks, ants, fleas, termites and weeds etc ad infinitum.

To paint the picture of the landlord, he appeared most weekends with a pesticide spray of some sort in one hand and a 22 to shoot reptiles, in the other. The property was a treeless 10 acres of hillside, the house a new brick dwelling.

Co-incidentally both his parents had cancer and were also advocates of the use of pesticides in the home. At 42 he had learnt this behaviour, and still living with his parents also had had several serious and unexplained health issues. Frankly Bugsy the man, and his mother and father, were off their dial.

My focus at that time was my family's health and my critical son in hospital.