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Warrnambool City Council has defended its bin emptying operations at the breakwater precinct fish cleaning tables, but has launched a review.
It comes after a putrid mess was left at the fishing cleaning facilities at the breakwater across the long weekend.
Council director of city infrastructure David Leahy said the bins at the fish cleaning facility were emptied twice a week - on Fridays and Tuesdays.
"So they were emptied on January 22 (Friday) and 26 (Tuesday)," he said.
"The combination of a busy weekend of fishing and temperatures reaching 38 degrees on Sunday meant that the bins were used much more than usual.
"While some smell in the direct vicinity of the fish cleaning facility is unavoidable, we want to make sure that the bins are emptied often enough so that fish waste is kept contained and the smell doesn't become overpowering.
"Unfortunately over the weekend, that wasn't the case."
Mr Leahy said the council was carrying out a review of the collection timetable to add more bin pick-ups and cleans at the fish station over peak periods to reduce this issue.
"If extra bins are needed, we can add those too," he said.
"When emptying the bins on Australia Day, it was noted that one of the bins still had space in it.
"Prior to the construction of the new facility, most of this waste would have ended up polluting the foreshore as it was deposited back into the water."
The director requested that any enquiries about the bins at the fish cleaning facility be directed to the council.
"Some residents have mistakenly been getting in contact with our household FOGO contractor, who is not involved in the collection or management of material from the fish cleaning facility," he said.
Earlier: Questions are being asked of Warrnambool City Council this morning after a putrid mess was left at the fishing cleaning facilities at the breakwater across the long weekend.
Well informed fishermen, who want to remain anonymous, said council officers had made a commitment the bins would be emptied over the long weekend.
"It's absolutely disgusting," one said.
"We talk about Warrnambool being a city by the sea and then people have to contend with this. There were people just stunned by the lack of cleaning at the weekend.
"It stunk out the whole car park. It's a shambles, the stench is horrendous. "
Another fisherman said fish scales were piled about 15 centimetres thick and the rubbish had now attracted flies and contained maggots.
He said the scene was embarrassing.
"I was down here on Monday and the stench was just terrible. It was a not a good look. It's simply not good enough when regional areas, especially Warrnambool, are desperate to attract domestic tourists," he said.
Inquiries are being made with the Warrnambool City Council.
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