Protect Australia's Great Barrier Reef from Prawn Farming
Posted February 3, 2000 by Mangrove Action Project

Background
Australia has become a prime target of the intensive international prawn farm industry. With virtually no laws at the state and federal level capable of protecting the marine environment from the devestating effects of this enterprise, foreign companies are taking full advantage, particularly in Queensland.

A recent Queensland government funded study identified 87,278 hectacres, over 675 km of coastline as potential sites for intensive prawn farms. The proliferation of these projects and the appalling lack of protection for Australia's eastern seabord has seen an unholy alliance of interest groups come together. The Australian Eastern Seabord & Ocean Protection (AESOP) Coalition was birthed as a result of keen community anger over an intensive prawn farm project in North Queensland.

When the Armstrong Beach community woke up to the fact their surrounding mangroves, wetlands and pristine coastal forest were being bulldozed and destroyed so that a Taiwanese intensive prawn farm operation could set up, there was great angst. (For further background on this issue, see below.)

We need protest e-mails sent to the Federal Minister for the Environment Senator Hill. He has foreshadowed regulations which will force all future prawn farms impacting on the Great Barrier Reef to have a proper Environmental Impact Statement. (All existing operations are excluded.)

Take Action Now!
All intensive prawn farms and damaging acquaculture operations must be removed from the Great Barrier Reef (GBRMP) if this World Heritage Area is to thrive and remain healthy. Sen. Hill's regulations have been heavily influenced by the industry and his government's poor relationship with Queensland State Government. Little public input has been sought.

We need international protest to Sen. Hill's office over the inadequate regulations and lack of protection of the GBRMP. Use the automatic e-mail form below to send a letter to Sen. Hill.


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  • Push the Send Comment button. Your message includes your name, organization, and address and will be sent to Federal Minister for the Environment Sen. Hill.

    • Further Background
    Armstrong Beach provides an excellent case study in political fudging and an astounding lack of responsibility. To facilitate the industry, Queensland government bureaucrats insist that prawn farms be classified as "animal husbandry," a status which attracts no EIS rather than "lot feeding" which would (require an EIS).

    The Goldilands farm at Armstrong Beach, without the burden of any independent EIS process, has been given a licence (for the term of its operation) for a minimum daily discharge of 37 500 m3 as well as being permitted to change up to 20 per cent of the surrounding biodiversity. 60 hectares of pristine coastal forest has been bulldozed to the ground. Great holding bays gouged out of the forest graveyard, the damage is awesome to witness.

    A study by the North Queensland Conservation Council of ten intensive prawn farm licences issued in that state showed a total discharge of contaminants annually of 130 million cubic metres. Licences in one area permitted a discharge volume equivalent to the sewage outflow of about 1.5 million people!

    Once the Armstrong Beach prawn farm is operating, discharges will go straight into Llewellyn Bay, a Zone B Dugong Sanctuary, and a part of the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The high nutrient discharge causes significant changes in the seagrass beds dugong depend on. Although Australia has recognised the extreme vulnerability of the dugong by declaring a sanctuary in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, the sea mammal is excluded from the Federal Government's endangered species list, a listing which would prevent the establishment of this prawn farm.

    When Goldilands moved a discharge pipe so that it fell short of the boundary of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, the Federal Government claimed it was powerless to intervene, thereby causing a proper environmental study to be done. Nor has the Queensland or Federal Government concerned itself over the fate of approximately ten migratory bird species listed under the JAMBA and CAMBA treaties who regularly visit the area.

    Australia is approaching a natonal disaster situation with acid sulfate soils. An estimated 3 M hectacres of sulfidic sediments in its estuarine floodplains and coastal embayments much favoured by industries such as intensive prawn farms, aquaculture, dairying, grazing, and sugar cane are capable of discharging into the ocean once disturbed. Fish kills are increasing as more and more inappropriate coastal developments are permitted. Unless mangroves and wetlands are protected by Federal legislation, these areas are deemed destroyable.

    To address the hologram of problems being experienced along the Eastern Seabord, AESOP was set up. Its terms of reference including: mangrove and wetland destruction, intensive prawn farms, clearing of coastal forests, acid sulfate soils, cetaceans, dugongs, overfishing, netting, illegal immigrants, and the lack of proper environmental legislation and protection. With a broad range of member groups including Surfrider Foundation, Queensland SunFish, a 40,000 strong recreational fisherfolk organisation, Maritime Union of Australia, National Toxic Network, ORRCA (Ocean Rescue), North Queensland Conservation Council, Wildlife Protection Society, Australians for Animals, Water Research Foundation, Armstrong Beach Progress Association, environmental lawyers, scientists, and indigenous groups, AESOP is rapidly gaining support up and down the coastline.

    Unholy alliances work well in Australia. But to have serious teeth, we need international sign-ons to AESOP.

    For further information on this issue or to join AESOP's listserv, contact Sue Arnold, Acting Facilitator, AESOP Coalition at: arnolds@mullum.com.au or PO Box 673, Byron Bay. NSW. 2481 Australia; Phone: 011-61-266-843769

    From Isaac Osuoka, Environment Rights Action

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