Bill is calling on Port Macquarie-Hastings Council and the state government to work together and put funding towards building a wall at the location so that it stays permanently open to the ocean. 

“We really need a wall to retain the water going into the lake and keep it open to the ocean,” he said. 

Bill fishes at Limeburners Creek and Settlement Point which both have walls.

Bill said he has witnessed several lots of fish die at Lake Cathie and the area has a horrible smell in the morning. 

“I personally wouldn’t swim in it,” he said. 

Read more: Council says lake is safe in wake of fish deaths 

Bill has only witnessed the lake in the same state once before. He said it happened about 20 years ago and coincided with a major fish kill event. 

On the morning of Monday, February 18 Bill said he was pleased to see a high tide had washed some ocean water into the lake, but he said it’s still not enough. 

He said the only factor which is keeping the fish relatively strong is the north east wind, which stirs up the oxygen in the water.

Bill said he filleted a tailor recently but decided not to eat it as the inside of the fish was ‘just mush’.

“It’s pretty sad as the creature must have been half dead when I caught it,” he said.

Bill said Lake Cathie is a tremendous breeding ground and it’s important that it stays that way.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has no plans to open Lake Cathie to the ocean despite the trigger point being reached for an artificial opening. 

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council director Melissa Watkins said the Lake Cathie Opening Strategy contains several opening triggers. 

“One such trigger is when the water level is less than 0.2m AHD and salinity is greater than 40 ppt,” she said. 

“The current water level is 0.05m AHD and salinity is between 40 and 42 ppt, therefore a lake opening trigger has been reached.”

However the lake will not be opened by council due to several risks associated with the action.