Abalone Dreaming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coastal life is the life for me

With beach and surf and clear blue sea

Where I can fish with my family

And dive the reef for abalone

 

Our lovely city by the sea

Has so far kept its harmony

With a well managing fishery

And foraging still largely free

 

The Ocean Reef Marina

Needs a second thought

With a million abalone

Soon all gone for nought

 

 It’s almost a truism that every development will be opposed by a special interest group.  But ultimately effective consultation, good-will and a capacity to compromise will secure a balanced outcome that serves the common good.  The important thing is that the process is open and transparent and that the decision makers are well informed.  Where things become murky is when key information is deliberately withheld in order to secure a favourable outcome for the proponent. The word for this is “spin” and a classic example is the proposed ocean reef marina that is being heavily promoted by the Joondalup City Council. The information presented on the council website is impressive (http://www.joondalup.wa.gov.au/develop/majorprojects/oceanreefmarina.aspx ). Impacts on the feeding grounds of the endangered Carnaby’s White-Tailed Black Cockatoo and the endangered Graceful Sun Moth have been well studied and community consultation has been extensive.  There is apparently overwhelming community support for the Project.  The key question though is why impacts on abalone are not mentioned.  The proposed Ocean Reef Marina will take out about 10 ha of the best abalone habitat in the Perth coastal zone. There is literally a carpet of abalone on the offshore reef that will be removed to make way for the marina. The abalone fishery is well managed and Fisheries Officers are quick to hammer anyone who takes more than their 20 daily bag limit or any undersize animals during their five by one hour allowed fishing sessions each year.  How can this be reconciled with the loss of possibly one million abalone from the recreational fishery?  Imagine the outrage towards an individual who harvested 50 tonnes of abalone out of a tightly controlled fishery and then consider that not only is the council proposing to do exactly that but to also permanently remove the habitat.  There is no shortage of sandy habitat to build a marina. It is simply not necessary to destroy precious rocky reef in the Marmion Marine Park to build the marina. It beggars belief that the Council is unaware that the marina will take out a large area of prime abalone habitat.  Their strategy of not mentioning it as an issue smacks of deliberate misrepresentation. It has to be tabled as a key concern. In the words of Virgil Kane: “You take what you need and leave the rest but they should never have taken the very best”.