Marine & Coastal

8 May 2001

Blackmore Prawn Farm Would Destroy Huge Area If Approved

The Environment Centre NT is alarmed at a proposal to clear over 500 hectares of native vegetation to develop a massive aquaculture project on the Blackmore River. The NT Government has offered developers Phelps-Panizza a 790 hectare lease on Middle Arm, an area equivalent to over 400 football fields, just slightly smaller than the existing Palmerston township. This is the prawn farm that was planned for Shoal Bay but was moved after community outrage about potential impacts.

Public submissions on the Public Environment Report for this proposal are due today. The Environment Centre has made a submission recommending that the project be rejected due to unacceptable environmental impacts. The site has high conservation values and is relatively intact. As the developer states in the development application: "In summary, environmental effects of the proposed development will be.alteration of the specific area of the site from a relatively unmodified wilderness to an intensive aquaculture site".

Environment Centre coordinator Kirsten Blair said today "The scale of the project and its likely impacts is alarming and unacceptable. If this project proceeds in full it would be one of the largest aquaculture developments in Australia. At least one hectare of Darwin Harbour mangroves as well as over 400 hectares of native woodland will be cleared if this project is approved".

"Given the NT's inexperience with and lack of regulation of aquaculture, we should be laying the groundwork before we rush into major aquaculture developments. A number of aquaculture ventures including prawn farms in the Northern Territory have collapsed shortly after establishment and been abandoned by their owners. The taxpayer is then left to pick up the tab of rehabilitation, if, in fact, any rehabilitation is carried out."

"If Minister Tim Baldwin approves this project in its current form, he is failing in his responsibility to ensure ecologically sustainable development for the Territory." Ms Blair concluded.

For further information contact ECNT on 8981 1984
Email: ecnt@octa4.net.au

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