Aqua Culture in Victor Harbor
I am sure many of you are aware there is a proposal to put a tuna aqua culture pen within 1km of the beach at Victor Harbor.
It's a tourist venture, smaller than a full scale commercial pen, but the licensee has applied to hold up to 6 tonnes of fish in the pen.
If you have any concerns about the impact of this proposal on the local environment and ocean use, now is the time to voice them. PIRSA has just commenced a four week public consultation period.
Details of the proposal and information on how to make a submission can be found at;http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/graniteisland
The environmental impact on the surrounding intertidal reefs and Seagrass meadows and local town beach.
Creating a point food source for nuisance predators, ie Seals and sharks. The impact of increased numbers of these predators on
local threatened species and local water users.
Placing an aquaculture venture within the nursing area for southern right whales.
Setting a president for future expansion of aqua culture ventures on the Fleurieu.
Select to expand quoteDarvio said..
Setting a president for future expansion of aqua culture ventures on the Fleurieu.
I agree with your last point. If this is all that is being proposed, then I can't see that this pen/pontoon would have any more impact than the dozens of existing boats in the harbour, or the usual numbers of fishos fishing off the jetty.
I like the idea. The tourist benefits would be significant. It would be one more reason to go to Victor (or stop at Adelaide). I was talking to an overseas visitor at work last week (he had never heard of Adelaide) and I had difficulty listing nature attractions in Adelaide he would enjoy seeing. Good on the entrepreneur for proposing this idea. I hope it's a success if they are able to do it.
Most people think it's a good idea. Except for those who have it in their backyard.
If increased shark presence is your worry, then I don't think the venture will make this coastline any more sharky than it already is as they are proposing such a small structure. I will still sail Kents Reserve if the venture goes ahead. Yes, I agree with your last point about them getting greedy and expanding.
They are actually planning 3-4 tonnes of fish, and have applied for a licence for 6 tonnes of fish. It's a quantity that's enough be a point food source.
Uni of Hawaii have tagged a variety of species of sharks in and around isolated aqua culture sites off Oahu. After 2-3 years of monitoring they concluded that apex predators will visit these sites as part of their seasonal migration. Spending 2-3 weeks in the vicinity with each seasonal pass.
2nd tier predators will take up residence in the immediate vicinity of the cages.
They had a look at this proposal on my behalf and came to this conclusion. White sharks will pass by, loiter, and move on after a period of time (2-3 weeks). Bronzies will start living in the vicinity of the pen. There will definitely be an increased shark presence. Whether or not that leads to an interaction between a large shark and a human can't be know.
I will still sail Kent's too. It's my local. I will also surf and paddle board at the channel, and so will many I am sure. But I definately think it raises the chances of an interaction, just by how much no one can really say.
But it it's not just the shark risk, as I mentioned up the top there are more concerns too.
BTW
Not sure if your college will find many true nature activities in many capital cities, however if they are happy to spend a little time in a car SA has LOADS to offer in that department.
I am sure there are many arguments for and against. I for one do not agree with it. Given that there are well populated surf spots with sometimes hundreds in the water very close by, how long would it take before an old, slow, hungry predator decides to pick off an easy feed.
I am not anti shark, I think whites are an amazing creature, but do we really need to draw them in to our most populated surfing coastline.
