Douglas tour operator concerned at dredging plans
Douglas tour operator concerned at dredging plans
Tuesday October 7 2014, 10:45am
A Port Douglas tourism operator is expressing concern at dredging impacts on the Great Barrier Reef after the release of new images of dredge dumping off the coast of Cairns.
Ports North have been under increased scrutiny this year after a permit variation was required prior to the annual maintenance dredging program.
A heavy dredge barge is expected to dredge and dump 350,000 ‘dry tonnes’ of material in the World Heritage Area and marine park, allowed for under the permit variation.
Maintenance dredging occurs every year and tourism operators, including Mark Fraenkel from Blue Dive Port Douglas, have reported reduced visibility on reefs as far afield as Opal reef off Port Douglas, during dredging and dumping operations.
Mr Fraenkel has reported reduced visibility during dredging operations as far away as Opal reef off Port Douglas and is concerned about plans to further increase dredging along the coast.
“Some tourism operators are not speaking publicly, but in private the word I am hearing and what I am seeing is that dredging does have an impact on visibility on the reef. This directly impacts on visitors’ tourism experience,” Mark Fraenkel said.
“I am really concerned about the impacts of proposed new capital dredging of 4.4 million cubic meters of spoil for the port expansion, and the increase in maintenance dredging that would be required if this went ahead.
“I am not saying ‘stop the maintenance dredging’ but I am saying let’s manage it better and not rush into a port expansion that would mean much more dredging.
“Port Douglas receives cruise ships without the need for the ships to dock, as does Cairns at Yorkey’s Knob, so I question the need for this risky and damaging expansion proposal.
“Of course we all want development for our area, but it has to be done sensibly.
“The comments I have heard from Ports North lead me to be worried that they are trivialising the impacts of dredging. I know that we need some dredging in Cairns but these photos are important in ensuring people know that dredging does not come without impact.
“I am calling on our marvelous Douglas Shire Mayor Julia Leu to commission an independent scientist to investigate the impact of dredging on Port Douglas reefs.”
In its long-term sustainability plan, Ports North admitted that around half of the material dumped from dredging operations does not stay on the spoil dump ground. The pictures released graphically show much of the material is instead resuspended and can drift onto the reef and inshore environments.
Ports North continue to deny impacts of dredging and dumping with a spokesperson reported as saying that any sediment plumes are gone 'after about two hours'. Yet at a Cairns forum on the impacts of dredging, Professor Richard Bush of Southern Cross University recently pointed out that “Dredge spoil should not be considered a benign material; it can react very quickly to become an acidic source of contamination.”