AN illegal attempt was made to open Coila Lake to the ocean on Wednesday night. It wasn’t as spectacularly as they may have hoped but a trench was dug from the lake to the beach.
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Meanwhile there have been several reports of fish kills in the lake which is popular with recreational fishers and used regularly by professional fishermen.
The reports involved thousands and thousands of dead toadfish or puffer fish floating in the lake near the bridge earlier this week.
Some of the toadfish had lesions or sores on their skin leading some to suspect something more sinister.
There were also reports that schools of small bream spotted previously had also mysteriously disappeared, although some blamed shags or cormorants.
The current official level of Coila Lake is 1.78m as per the Manly Hydraulics website http://new.mhl.nsw.gov.au/Site-218405
Coila Lake cannot be opened until it reaches 2m or reaches 1.8m and stays there for 3 months. If anyone is caught trying to open the lake they face an on the spot fine of $1000, pending a review of any environmental harm done.
Should the review identify serious harm has been done, the person/s faces being charged with carrying out dredging without authority, which carries a maximum fine of $110,000.
