‘Worse than Covid’: Fears offshore wind development could sink South-East lobster industry
South-East residents say they’re disappointed after a community meeting on a controversial plan to rezone waters near Port MacDonnell.
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South-East residents who attended at community drop-in session regarding the proposed rezoning for waters just outside the seaside town of Port MacDonnell have been left disappointed with the lack of formal proceedings.
Members of the community were invited and had a chance to speak one-on-one with members from the Department of Climate Change, Energy.
However, no formal presentation or question and answer was held leading to widespread disappointment from the near 150 attendees.
South Australian Rock Lobster Advisory Council chief executive Nathan Kimber said it was frustrating there had not been an “open floor discussion” that could “the department could be held to account”.
“The fishing industry and community were extremely disappointed with the format of the consultation undertaken by the Commonwealth Government,” Mr Kimber said.
“The approach to talk to individuals or small groups — seemed a clear tactic of avoidance.”
The Southern Winds project, spearheaded by Blue Float Energy, would see a 77-turbine wind farm between eight to 20km off Port MacDonnell’s shores.
As one of the largest southern rock lobster ports in the southern hemisphere, industry insiders fear any proposed development would “drastically reduce the amount of fishable grounds”.
Five Star Seafoods manager Tom Ryan – who joined protest group Southern Coast Ocean Care – said the development could end up being “worse than Covid”.
“The exclusion zone in front of Port MacDonnell is going to cover an area that is some of the most productive lobster bottom,” Mr Ryan said.
“This will mean that we’ll have to condense fishermen to a much smaller catchment area and it would that would be pretty detrimental to the to the fishing industry.”
Mr Ryan said the proposed development could undo the work that has been done to help the industry stay afloat since China’s export ban was introduced.
China previously accounted for up to 95 per cent of the state’s rock lobster export market.
The rock lobster industry contributes more than 30 per cent of SA’s seafood gross product worth $158.5 million, and creates more than 1300 jobs through direct and flow-on business.
The state government also halved rock lobster licence fees last year.
Mr Kimber said the department had “put the cart before the horse” in regards to the proposed rezoning”.
Federal Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said the proposed zone was not fixed in stone.
Mr Bowen said the two other regions in New South Wales and Victoria that were rezoned had a drastically reduced area following community engagement.
In Gippsland the proposed zone was slashed in half while Hunter’s rezoning was reduced by roughly a third, Mr Bowen said.
The Bonney Upwelling is one of 12 worldwide and is vital to several marine species including krill, tuna, crayfish, birds, and blue whale.
In 2002, the Bonney Upwelling was listed as critical habitat due to its importance to blue whale feeding.
Addressing fears, Mr Bowen said he made a ministerial decision to exclude an certain islands in the Hunter Region as it could have impacted on the goulds petrel flight patterns.
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