Broome Pearls. Pressure on the pearling industry.

The environmental damage to the crystal clear waters along the Kimberley coast where pearling leases are located will be devastating. The turbidity created by drilling and dredging will ruin the nutrient flow required to maintain and grow healthy oysters. Take a look at a previous post on this blog ‘Why Gourdon Bay? ‘ this is what could happen if a gas hub is located on land adjacent to pearling waters.

Redhand noted the recent notices for new pearl farm leases at Sandy Point, Paspaley Pearling Company Pty Ltd, Roebuck Pearl Producers Pty Ltd, Pearls Pty Ltd and the Australian South Sea Pearling Company Pty Ltd and at Vansittart Bay – Seaflower Bay B, Paspaley Pearling Company Pty Ltd; applications for a pearl oyster farm lease Port Smith, Clipper Holdings Pty Ltd and Prices Point, Clipper Holdings Pty Ltd and an application for a pearl oyster farm lease trial site Shenton Bluff, Cygnet Bay Pearls. Each are within close proximity to one of the four sites selected by the Northern Development Taskforce Site Evaluation Reports for an LNG gas hub. Redhand hopes these applications are supported; pearling is an industry that nestles comfortably with a wilderness coast.

Quite apart from the environmental damage that raises the question, will the pearling industry survive, the damage to the heritage, the history and retail value of the pearling industry will be immense and forever. The images of pearls around Broome are many.

Pearls, their history and industry in Broome are one of the major attractions that encourage tourists to visit Broome. Anyone who has been to a Broome Cup knows that that’s ‘show day’ for pearls.

Redhand looks forward to the publication of the sequel to Port of Pearls by Hugh Edwards which is expected to be released later this month during the celebrations for the 125th anniversary of the gazettal of the town of Broome. However, that’s history, what of the future for Pearls in Broome?

Council decides

Sadly, the Council has determined that a gas hub is inevitable in the Shire of Broome, and it will pursue the State Government for assistance in managing and resourcing the expected social impacts. The decision will be at www.broome.wa.gov.au , go to minutes Special Council Meetings.

Redhand urges everyone to contact all of the Councillors to express their opinion, contact details on the same website.

Photo Sunrise looking from James Price Point.

Broome Shire Council to make decision on gas hub site.

The Shire of Broome has called a Special Council Meeting TOMORROW FRIDAY 7th November, 4.00pm, Council will make a resolution in relation to the Northern Development Taskforce Site Evaluation report on sites for a gas hub on the Kimberley coast, particularly as three of the sites are within the Shire of Broome.

Redhand urges everyone to consider the staff recommendation to Council.
Go to
http://www.broome.wa.gov.au/council/pdf/agenda/2008/20081107sa.pdf

If you wish to comment you can email all of the Councillors go to www.broome.wa.gov.au for email details or attend the meeting at the Shire Administration building in Weld Street, Broome. Anyone in the Public Gallery can ask a question during Public Question Time, you might like to email your questions prior to the meeting to shire@broome.wa.gov.au.

13 days to write your submission to NDT – Help - Urgent

There are 17 days left for you to make your submission to the NDT on the Northern Development Taskforce Site Evaluation Report

BY POST -It must be there by 5.00pm on the 11th November. Now we assume that means delivered, so anyone who lives on the Dampier Peninsula or Gourdon Bay will need to wait for the mail run or drive into Broome to post the submission at the Post Office, that could be up to 200km on a mostly dirt road. But that’s ok you do it all the time. Let’s say 4 days from Broome Post Office to the NDT in Perth. That means it has to be posted on Friday 7th November. You have thirteen days to write your submission. We also assume that submissions must be in the form of text on paper, it would be helpful if we could, fax, send disks or other forms of digital storage, film and so on. Please, if you know people who don’t have access to the internet, “bring them over and tell them what’s going on.” Quote Blu eye

BY EMAIL you have 17 days - send to ndt@doir.wa.gov.au
Here are the guidelines and where to send your submission. From www.doir.wa.gov.au/ndt
Guidelines on preparing a submission
To help the Taskforce analyse your submission:
• Provide a summary of your point or points at the beginning of the submission
• Refer your point or points to the appropriate section of the Site Evaluation Report or recommendations in the Report
• Attach any factual information you wish to provide and give details of the source
All submissions will be treated as public documents, unless marked ‘Confidential’. Non-confidential content in submissions may be quoted in the Taskforce’s final report.

When making a submission remember to include:
• Your name
• Your address
• Your email address
• The date
• Whether you want your submission to be confidential.

All submissions received will be acknowledged.
Submissions should be sent to:
Site Evaluation Submissions
Northern Development Taskforce
Department of Industry and Resources
100 Plain Street
East Perth WA 6004
Alternatively, submissions can be emailed to: ndt@doir.wa.gov.au
Submissions must be received by 5.00pm, Tuesday 11 November.

Pearl farms warn of damage and disease

17th October 2008, 6:00 WST

WA’s $200 million-a-year pearling industry has warned it will push for compensation if a proposed LNG precinct in the Kimberley harms its operations.

Pearl farms operate near the site preferred by Colin Barnett at North Head, 26km north of Beagle Bay, and at shortlisted sites Gourdon Bay and James Price Point. Pearl Producers Association executive officer Brett McCallum said the industry wanted to be involved in talks on any site development.

Pearl farms operated in pristine waters off the Kimberley and operators were concerned about pollution, increased boat movements and marine pests being introduced.

Of particular significance was the Gourdon Bay site at the head of 80 Mile Beach, home of the world’s last wildstock pearl oyster fishery.

“This fishery provides over 70 per cent of the annual pearl oysters required for pearl culture in WA,” Mr McCallum said. “The importance of the current flows in this region to pearl oyster larvae settlement cannot be underestimated.”

The industry’s biggest fear was over any sort of introduced marine pest which could attack pearl oysters and the closing of areas where pearl oysters could live and be harvested.

Any developments requiring a pearl farm to move would draw a call for some “compensatory mechanism”, he said.

It was important that the 150-year-old industry maintained its reputation for the highest quality pearls in the world. Premier Colin Barnett said he welcomed views on the site for an LNG precinct in the Kimberley.

These could be put to the Northern Development Taskforce during a 28-day public comment period.

JODIE THOMSON


from: THE WEST.com.au

Why Gourdon Bay

Gourdon Bay is south of Broome and a beautiful bay. The Northern Development Taskforce Site Selection panel have recommended Gourdon Bay as a possible site for the LNG gas hub to quote:
“......Gourdon Bay
Though this site is significantly technically constrained and economically challenging,
it is broadly supported as potentially one of the more benign sites for net
environmental impacts subject to further studies on the potential habitat and flight
pathways for migratory birds (given that Gourdon Bay is situated between two
Ramsar wetland sites). Development would impact on the pearling, fishing and local
Aboriginal communities and would present significant pressures and challenges on
the tourism infrastructure and the character of Broome as a tourism destination.
It is recommended this site be subject to the hub design concept study,
heritage studies and regional impact studies and considered for a LNG hub....”
See big size of the map at Gourdon Bay Map
See and hear what the people say who live here on the recent 4 Corners program ‘Bran Nue Deal’ at 4 CORNERS .

look at this picture : PIC 1

Premier Barnett put on notice tonight

1971 - Woodside discovers Scott Reef gas field in the Browse Basin 

1979 - Woodside discovers Brecknock gas field


2000 - Woodside discovers Brecknock South gas field 

2005 - Woodside announces Quandong Point as a possible site for its Browse Basin LNG

plant.

2006 - Inpex investigates possible Kimberley sites for its Browse Basin (Icthys) LNG plant

2007 - WA Labor Government establishes Northern Development Taskforce (NDT) to

investigate potential LNG processing precinct sites in the Kimberley.

2007 – Save the Kimberley formed

2008 - Strategic Assessment Agreement signed by WA and Australian Federal Governments 2008 - September – Colin Barnett elected Premier

2008 - October – Hands Off Country blog commences following the first banner protest in

Broome.

Within hours of the announcement of HIS preferred site for the gas hub proposal, Premier Barnett was given a clear message tonight. Installed on the major roundabout coming into Broome, Kimberley, Western Australia and illuminated by an eerie generator light, Premier Barnett is put on notice. We will not give away the Kimberley without a fight.

PICTURES

VIDEO

youtube link  http://youtu.be/lJXTsAy4QmA