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SA E-News May 2008

IN THIS EDITION:

MARINE & COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY & PLANNING
1. Plan to rename Whyalla coastline Cuttlefish Coast
2. Grant for Marion Bay coastal plan

NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
3. Making every drop count
4. Questions surface over desalination project
5. Port Hughes desal: message loud and clear
6. Tourists tap into desal water
7. Pilot desalination plant by July
8. River Murray recovery consultation under way
9. Conservationists urge joint plan for stormwater
10. Libs' $400m stormwater plan
11. Wind to fuel Sydney's desal plant
12. Council has desal brine concerns
13. A partnership approach to tackling sustainability

MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
14. Gago meets stakeholders on Marine Parks
15. Marine Parks Council appointed
16. Marine parks - 'got to get balance right'

FISHERIES
17. Two tonnes of fish tagged
18. Statewide recreational fishing survey
19. Diesel costs major concern for fishing industry
20. Closed season on Goolwa cockles starts Sunday 1 June
21. Demand for cut in lobster catch
22. A national study of crime in the Australian fishing industry
23. Quota decision later this year
24. How the world's oceans are running out of fish
25. Abalone offences

AQUACULTURE
26. Tool to improve ocean aquaculture
27. Seafood chefs, sellers on a 'mission'
28. New report says we can have our fish and eat it too
29. Arno Bay tuna expansion receives Government grant
30. SA seafood to star on European restaurant menus

CLIMATE CHANGE
31. Rise in ocean acidity brings fears for marine life
32. Drought helped by changing oceans
33. Man-Made Warming Altering Nature's Clock
34. Growing ocean dead zones leave fish gasping

COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
35. Tower, shops added to port plan
36. Bluff boat ramp to close until October
37. Park expansion plan withdrawn
38. Boat builder vows to fight eviction
39. Victor's new $80m island goes on sale
40. Boat ramp money lost

INVASIVE MARINE AND COASTAL SPECIES
41. Deadline set on foreshore ferals
42. Bid to end North Haven weed infestation

MARINE SPECIES
43. Whale stranded at River
44. Fin soup threatens survival of sharks: study
45. Cuttlefish could be harmed
46. Check jet ski impact on birds call
47. SA birds join endangered list
48. Life discovered on ocean mountain
49. Wildlife numbers plummet globally: WWF
50. Shark film to change perceptions
51. Whales early on annual migration
52. Deep port plan threatens cuttlefish: academic
53. Cleaned tortoises returned to Murray

SHIPPING & PORTS
54. Too much at stake
55. Port keen on ore
56. Action group to take stand
57. Community to be engaged on Lowly
58. Port Lincoln councillor impressed with Esperance iron ore shipping
59. Mayor’s Murray Point rezone idea
60. Centrex lays out facts
61. Iron ore study
62. Copper concentrate
63. 60 register interest in peninsula
64. 1000 sign petition against Centrex
65. Centrex set on Proper Bay site
66. BHP Billiton promises answers

COASTAL WETLANDS
67. SA natural icons dying from thirst
68. Water ministers meet as lakes crisis looms
69. Ecologist urges salt removal from Coorong
70. Murray-Darling prospects still grim
71. Pumping begins to prevent SA lake turning acidic
72. Coorong: the end of the line

BLUE ENERGY
73. WA has best offshore wind site

COASTAL CONSERVATION
74. Coffin Bay Park over-run with kangaroos

POLLUTION
75. 1.5 tonnes of rope removed from beach in Innes National Park
76. Waste clean-up for the Pat

RECREATION & TOURISM
77. Builder chosen for jetty
78. Alcohol causes a quarter of boat deaths: study
79. Life jacket changes urged
80. KI ferry out until October
81. Massive skull moved to whale centre
82. Shark Shield gets Coroner's nod
83. Dates set for festival
84. Sustainability will drive tourism

RESEARCH
85. Our region's sea floor being mapped

PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES
86. Western Yorke Peninsula seagrass aerial photography
87. Code of Practice for the environmental management of SA abalone aquaculture industry
88. A Grain of Sand: Nature's Secret Wonder -Slide Show
89. New Website: Ocean and Coastal Care Initiatives
90. Google diving into 3D mapping of oceans
91. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (fact sheet)

GRANTS
92. Community Coastcare Grants

AWARDS
93. Call for Entries to Reuters-IUCN Environmental Media Awards

WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES & EVENTS
94. International Year of the Reef 2008
95. Ecological impact of vehicles on beaches, Research Seminar
96. Postgraduate Research Conference, FR3cE and Flinders Bioknowledge
97. Marine Life Society of SA General Meeting

CALL FOR PAPERS & ABSTRACTS
98. Spencer Gulf: Ecology and Oceanography of an Inverse Estuary

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MARINE & COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY & PLANNING

1. Plan to rename Whyalla coastline Cuttlefish Coast
Abridged from: Whyalla News
23 May 2008
Full text: http://whyalla.yourguide.com.au
Whyalla City Council has decided to begin the process of renaming the coastline to the north of Whyalla the Cuttlefish Coast. “We don’t have a specific name for our coastline as such and the cuttlefish are a big drawcard,” said Deputy Mayor Eddie Hughes, who tabled the motion. “It would be worth our while increasing the profile of the area and naming it Cuttlefish Coast.” “We need to protect this unique phenomenon on our doorstep,” he said. Council also moved to write to the Minister for Environment Gail Gago, indicating their strong support for an extension to the cuttlefish protection area beyond the current zone.
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2. Grant for Marion Bay coastal plan
Abridged from: Yorke Peninsula Country Times
20 May 2008
Full text: http://www.ypct.com.au
A $5,000 coastal protection concept plan will be developed for Marion Bay’s Penguin Point and Willyama Beach, under funding recently awarded to the Marion Bay Township Committee….under the Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Management Board’s “Small Grants” project. The coastal plan will link the car park with connecting pathways to a new stairway and viewing platform, and incorporate areas of revegetation under a five-year works program.
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NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

3. Making every drop count
Abridged from: Science Alert
29 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
In the world’s driest inhabited continent it may seem incredible that much of our most important resource is washed down the drain. But the next generation of water recycling technologies could change all that. “When you have bothered to pipe good quality water to a house, it makes no sense to use it once, then pump it out again and dispose of it,” says Professor Richard Pashley of Murdoch University. Professor Pashley, a world-leading chemist and head of the new federally-funded Centre of Excellence in Desalination to be based in Perth, believes scientific advances in wastewater recycling will soon clean grey water – from your washing machine, bath, shower and sinks – faster and better, using relatively little energy.
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4. Questions surface over desalination project
Abridged from: The Recorder
29 May 2008
Full text: http://portpirie.yourguide.com.au
A proposed desalination plant at Port Bonython was questioned at last night’s Port Pirie Regional Council meeting. One of the issues raised related to how it may affect the eco-system in the Port Pirie River. Cr David Haldane suggested that it was in the interest of Port Pirie to “have some input” and receive feedback on developments in the project. Mayor Geoff Brock responded by saying, “I don’t know anything about us getting input,” but mentioned that he would take the matter to the next provincial cities meeting in a fortnight.
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5. Port Hughes desal: message loud and clear
Abridged from: Yorke Peninsula Country Times
27 May 2008
Full text: http://www.ypct.com.au
“There are enough people in this room to go to Kadina and go to Council and very politely tell them where to stick it!” was how one local eloquently put it during question time, turning to around 250 people crammed into Moonta Town Hall last Thursday night to discuss desalination at Port Hughes. In a clear indication of the level of community frustration, it was standing room only to hear the Australian Greens’ Hon. Mark Parnell (MLC) and Dr Toby Bolton from Flinders University talk about the planning status and possible environmental effects of the desalination plant District Council of the Copper Coast moved to discuss with The Dunes developer, Quickview, in December 2007.
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6. Tourists tap into desal water
Abridged from: Yorke Peninsula Country Times
27 May 2008
Full text: http://www.ypct.com.au
For tourists Michael and Paul Hibbert, of Gawler, knowing they had access to a ready supply of water from the Marion Bay desalination plant meant they were able to extend their stay in the area. The Hibberts are only the second couple, and first visitors to the area, to take advantage of the Monica water station technology, having purchased a swipe card on their arrival last week. While originally set up to give the local community access to the water, this now adds a whole new market as more people travel in self-contained motorhomes and caravans and require water.
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7. Pilot desalination plant by July
Abridged from: The Independent Weekly
26 May 2008
Full text: http://adelaide.yourguide.com.au
Construction work will begin on a $10 million pilot desalination plant for South Australia, Premier Mike Rann says. The pilot plant will test water quality, filtration and pretreatment technology required for the major $1.1 billion plant the government has slated to provide a quarter of Adelaide's water supply. Premier Mike Rann said the pilot plant at Port Stanvac, south of Adelaide, on Gulf St Vincent, should be in operation by July. The major project should be up and running by the summer of 2011-2012.
Related articles: http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au
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8. River Murray recovery consultation under way
Abridged from: Minister for the River Murray Media Release
22 May 2008
Full text: http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au
Minister for the River Murray Karlene Maywald says community consultation will begin today on a draft drought recovery plan for the river system in South Australia. The draft issues paper, titled The Allocation Of Water Under Drought Conditions, outlines the range of needs and provides option for decision-making. Minister Maywald released the paper before tomorrow’s Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council meeting in Adelaide, where management of the river system will be discussed. “Recovery of the river system in our State will mean different things to all users however it is likely to take several years and will involve some difficult trade-offs,” she said.
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9. Conservationists urge joint plan for stormwater
Abridged from: ABC Online
21 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The Conservation Council says South Australia has been slow to consider the benefits offered by collecting stormwater. Jamnes Danenberg from the Council says studies more than a decade ago indicated that stormwater could meet a substantial part of Adelaide's water needs. He says harvesting stormwater would contribute to Adelaide's water security, as well as help prevent flooding. He says the marine environment and biodiversity would also benefit.
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10. Libs' $400m stormwater plan
Abridged from: The Independent Weekly
19 May 2008
Full text: http://adelaide.yourguide.com.au
The South Australian Opposition has proposed a $400 million plan to capture about 90 gigalitres of Adelaide's stormwater each year, about a third of the city's water needs. Opposition water security spokesman Mitch Williams said 80 gigalitres was currently pumped from the Murray each year to help supply Adelaide, yet 160 gigalitres of stormwater was allowed to flow out into Gulf St Vincent. "This waste must end," he said. "We can no longer afford to let precious water from our roofs, creeks and drains run out to sea."
Related stories: http://www.abc.net.au
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11. Wind to fuel Sydney's desal plant
Abridged from: ABC Online
13 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Sydney's desalination plant will be powered by a south-west New South Wales wind farm under what Premier Morris Iemma has called Australia's biggest green energy industry contract. The 63-turbine Capital Wind Farm, run by Babcock and Brown, is under construction in Bungendore and will be operating before the plant is due to come on line in 2010. It is estimated it will cost at least $9 million a year to power the desalination plant.
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12. Council has desal brine concerns
Abridged from: ABC Online
8 May 2008
Full Text: http://www.abc.net.au
Onkaparinga Council is worried the pilot desalination plant at Port Stanvac in Adelaide will not test the disposal of brine. Flinders University scientists and SA Water representatives have spoken with council representatives about the proposed plant. Mayor Lorraine Rosenberg says the council remains cautious. She says the environmental effects the salty residue are a big issue and it appears the pilot plant will not provide an answer.
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13. A partnership approach to tackling sustainability – see Wetstuff-News 7 May 2008
Abridged from: Science Alerts, by Sean Rooney, ECOS Magazine
7 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
Sustainability issues involve complex inter-relationships between economic, social and environmental drivers and their outcomes. This makes responding effectively quite testing... The Sustainable Communities Initiative is designed to operate as an ‘action learning’ program over a three year period (2006 to 2009), focusing on innovation and learning, as well as effective outcomes from on-ground action. The SCI provides a vehicle that brings together participants to learn and experience how to work together better on complex local sustainability issues that deliver community scale outcomes.
Further information: http://www.csiro.au
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Natural Resource Management
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MARINE PROTECTED AREAS

14. Gago meets stakeholders on Marine Parks
Abridged from: The Islander
29 May 2008
Full text: http://kangarooisland.yourguide.com.au
Key marine parks stakeholders on Kangaroo Island and in Victor Harbor will have an opportunity to meet with the Minister for Environment and Conservation, Gail Gago when she visits coastal communities this week. During her three-day stay Minister Gago will meet with representatives of local councils, development boards, tourism enterprises and commercial and recreational fishing interests in Victor Harbor and Kingscote.
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15. Marine Parks Council appointed
Abridged from: Minister for Environment and Conservation Media Release
22 May 2008
Full text: http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au
Key advisers in the development of South Australia’s 19 new marine parks by 2010 have been appointed to the Marine Parks Council of South Australia created today. Minister for Environment and Conservation Gail Gago says the new independent advisory body has been established under the Marine Parks Act 2007, which was also proclaimed on today’s International Biodiversity Day. The Council is responsible for providing advice to the Minister on a broad range of marine park matters, including: marine park boundaries and interim protection orders; marine park zones and management plans; and promoting community participation in marine park management. “Its first task is to consider and provide advice on the outer boundaries of the 19 marine parks prior to their release for public comment later this year.
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16. Marine parks - 'got to get balance right'
Abridged from: West Coast Sentinel
8 May 2008
Full Text: http://ceduna.yourguide.com.au
Achieving the right "balance" between commercial and recreational fishing, tourism and conservation interests in creating marine parks on the West Coast is Environment and Conservation Minister Gail Gago's stated aim. "The last thing we would want to do is put anyone out of business," Ms Gago said on Friday after inspecting Davenport Creek from the Ceduna SES rescue boat Protector.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine Protected Areas
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FISHERIES

17. Two tonnes of fish tagged
Abridged from: Port Lincoln Times
29 May 2008
Full text: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
Game fishers tested the waters around Port Lincoln last week with the inaugural Port Lincoln Blue Water Classic game fishing tournament, and it will be back again next year. The Game Fishing Association of South Australia has locked into a three-year program of tournaments for Port Lincoln. More than two tonnes of fish were tagged and released over the week, including southern bluefin tuna, samson fish, eagle rays and four different species of shark, but only six fish were kept, the others went back to ensure the sustainability of the sport.
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18. Statewide recreational fishing survey
Abridged from: Minister for Agriculture, Food & Fisheries Media Release
28 May 2008
Full text: http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au
A year long major South Australian Recreational Fishing Survey is now three quarters of the way completed. Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister, Rory McEwen has thanked fishers for their excellent co-operation in taking part in the surveys so far and assisting PIRSA Fisheries to gather information about their catches, sizes and catch rate. “More than 95% of people approached have been keen to take part, and their assistance will help us to find out more about how our fishing resources measure up,” Mr McEwen said. “The survey aims to provide PIRSA Fisheries with a better understanding of changes in fish populations and recreational fishing practices throughout the state. More information on the survey is available at http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/fisheries
Related articles: http://victorharbor.yourguide.com.au
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19. Diesel costs major concern for fishing industry
Abridged from: ABC Online
28 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
We're hearing how fuel costs are biting globally, but closer to home fishers in the great Australian Bight say soaring diesel costs are threatening their industry. Diesel costs have almost tripled since 2004 and the average yearly fuel costs are sitting at about $900,000 a boat. The Great Australian Bight Trawl Fishery executive officer, Jeff Moore, says having to travel large distances to fish makes the rising cost of diesel a major concern for the fishing industry. "It's definitely impacting profitability." he said.
Related articles: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
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20. Closed season on Goolwa cockles starts Sunday 1 June
Abridged from: Minister for Agriculture, Food & Fisheries Media Release
28 May 2008
Full text: http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au
Fishers are reminded that the annual closed season for pipi (Goolwa cockles) comes into effect across the state from this Sunday (June 1) and continues through until Friday, October 31. Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister, Rory McEwen says the closed season, for both recreational and commercial fishers, helps to protect the pipi population from fishing pressure during its peak spawning season in September and October. “The closed season is an important management tool that helps ensure the continued health of the pipi population,” Mr McEwen said.
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21. Demand for cut in lobster catch
Abridged from: AdelaideNow
25 May 2008
Full text: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow
Rock lobster fishermen in the state's South-East fear the industry will collapse if there are no moves this year to address declining catch rates. Figures for the past decade show a decline in the number of southern rock lobsters caught since the quota was increased in 2003 from 1720 tonnes to 1900 tonnes and the season extended by two months. Seafood Processors and Exporters Council president Milan Rapp said processors and fishermen feared long-term damage to the fishery would occur unless the quota was reduced and the season shortened.
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22. A national study of crime in the Australian fishing industry – see Wetstuff-News 21 May 2008
Abridged from: Report by Judy Putt and Katherine Anderson, Australian Government, Australian Institute of Criminology
Full text: http://www.aic.gov.au
The Australian aquaculture and fisheries industry is worth over $2 billion annually, and supports numerous communities across the country. This report presents the results of research, funded by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, that sought to investigate the extent of illegal activity in Australia's fishing industry and the threat posed by more organised criminal activity.
Download report (122 pages): http://www.aic.gov.au/publications
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23. Quota decision later this year
Abridged from: Port Lincoln Times
15 May 2008
Full text: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
Rocklobster catches are down this season, but it’s too early to speculate whether this will mean a quota cut. Southern Rocklobster Limited executive officer Roger Edwards said the industry worked to a management plan released by the minister, with undersized rocklobster and catch rates measured to this. “Until all catches are in for the season we can’t speculate,” he said. Final data should be in by July or August for a decision to be made about the quota.
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24. How the world's oceans are running out of fish – see Wetstuff-News 14 May 2008
Abridged from: The Observer
11 May 2008
Full text: http://www.guardian.co.uk
The future of our seas has never been more precarious. Ninety years of industrial-scale overfishing has brought us to the brink of an ecological catastrophe and deprived millions of their livelihoods. As scientific guidelines are ignored and catches become ever bigger, Alex Renton tells why the international community has failed to act.
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25. Abalone offences
Abridged from: Eyre Peninsula Tribune
8 May 2008
Full Text: http://eyrepeninsula.yourguide.com.au
Two Adelaide men have received suspended jail sentences after being found guilty of abalone offenses near Tumby Bay in April, 2005. A Parafield Gardens man, 49, and a 47-year-old man from Wingfield were found guilty of taking more than 2700 undersized roei abalone. The Parafield Gardens man was also found guilty of possessing an extra 1339 dried abalone, seized by PIRSA Fisheries officers, at his home.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Commercial and Recreational Fishing Impacts
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AQUACULTURE

26. Tool to improve ocean aquaculture
Abridged from: ScienceAlert
22 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
A new automated tool that provides support for sea cage aquaculture managers in making crucial decisions about locating their sites and determining the number of fish that can be sustainably farmed is now available. A project undertaken by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, and funded by the Australian Aid Program through the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR), has developed a user-friendly decision support tool available on CD and the Internet. CADS_TOOL (Cage Aquaculture Decision Support tool) is immediately useful to finfish aquaculture in South East Asia but is equally useful in tropical Australia, according to AIMS researcher Dr David McKinnon.
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27. Seafood chefs, sellers on a 'mission'
Abridged from: West Coast Sentinel
22 May 2008
Full text: http://ceduna.yourguide.com.au
Streaky Bay was chosen as the starting point on Tuesday for an 'Australian Seafood Mission' on the Eyre Peninsula. The 'mission' is comprised of three international seafood buyers from Hong Kong and Singapore, four domestic seafood wholesalers from Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide, and 12 of Australia's leading chefs. Local aquaculture representative, Dion Edmunds, said: "The whole idea is to get the chefs and wholesalers here to show them where the produce comes from, show them how clean and pristine our water is.
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28. New report says we can have our fish and eat it too – see Wetstuff-News 21 May 2008
Abridged from: CFTK TV, By David Suzuki Foundation
18 May 2008
Full text: http://www.cftktv.com
A new report released today by the David Suzuki Foundation and Georgia Strait Alliance shows that a shift from open to closed-system fish farming is not only a viable alternative to open net cage farming, but is also a vibrant and rapidly developing global industry. “It’s time to move,” said Jay Ritchlin, of the David Suzuki Foundation. “Science clearly shows us that open net fish farming causes considerable environmental damage, including possible extinction of wild salmon in Canada’s Broughton Archipelago.”
Further information: http://www.davidsuzuki.org
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29. Arno Bay tuna expansion receives Government grant
Abridged from: Minister for Regional Development Media Release
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au
Clean Seas Tuna at Arno Bay will receive a $485,000 State Government grant through the Regional Development Infrastructure Fund. “Clean Seas Tuna is expanding its tuna breeding operations and this grant will upgrade the existing electricity supply to the company’s onshore hatchery,” Minister for Regional Development Karlene Maywald said. “Clean Seas has achieved a world breakthrough by being the first company to produce fingerlings in its hatchery, successfully closing the life cycle of the Southern Bluefin Tuna.
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30. SA seafood to star on European restaurant menus
Abridged from: Minister for Agriculture, Food & Fisheries
8 May 2008
Full text: http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au
Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister, Rory McEwen has welcomed the signing of a new agreement which will place South Australian seafood on the menus of some of Europe’s top restaurants. The agreement has been reached between the State Government, the French branch of Eurotoques International and the South Australian Marine Finfish Farmers Association. Mr McEwen says it’s the first time the prestigious Eurotoques organisation has entered into such an agreement with a country outside of Europe. “Eurotoques is an association of over 4,000 European chefs who are committed to quality ingredients and culinary excellence,” Mr McEwen said.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Aquaculture
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CLIMATE CHANGE

31. Rise in ocean acidity brings fears for marine life
Abridged from: Sydney Morning Herald
28 May 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
Scientists conducting a major survey of the North American Pacific coast have found significant increases in acidity that could have a profound effect on sea life. Rising ocean acidity has been predicted by scientists as a consequence of increased CO2 emissions, but the research suggests that in some parts of the ocean these increases are happening much faster than predicted. The change seen in the surveys was not expected until 2050. Experts predict that the changes could have a catastrophic effect on marine life. More acidic seawater means that species such as shellfish, plankton and coral will have much more difficulty making their shells and hard skeletons. That will seriously reduce the productivity of the entire food chain, changing ocean ecology and leading potentially to drastic reductions in fish stocks.
Related articles: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
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32. Drought helped by changing oceans
Abridged from: ScienceAlert
26 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
Fluctuations in sea-surface temperatures to the north of Australia and changes in atmospheric circulation patterns over the sub-tropical Indian Ocean have been identified as key factors leading to declining rainfalls in south-eastern Australia since 1950. According to a report from a CSIRO Wealth From Oceans Flagship study – published in the science journal Geophysical Research Letters – since 1950 Victoria has suffered a 40 per cent decline in autumn rainfall (March to May) compared to the average recorded between 1961–90. The identified causes show imprints of climate change influences, in part through a reduction in the number of La Niña events, and in part through changing weather systems originating from the subtropical Indian Ocean that are conducive to late autumn rainfall across Victoria.
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33. Man-Made Warming Altering Nature's Clock – see Wetstuff-News 21 May 2008
Abridged from: Scientific American
14 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciam.com
Starving polar bears are eating one another in the Arctic. Flowers are blooming too soon and dying. The ice caps are melting so swiftly that rising water levels will threaten coastal towns as far away as Florida within several decades. These are just a few examples of the dire consequences of climate change supported by a new analysis in Nature that paints a dark portrait of what a warming world will look like in the years to come.
Related articles: http://www.enn.com, http://environment.newscientist.com, http://www.abc.net.au
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34. Growing ocean dead zones leave fish gasping – see Wetstuff-News 7 May 2008
Abridged from: New Scientist
1 May 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
"Dead zones" containing too little oxygen for fish to breathe are growing as global temperatures increase. Warmer water dissolves less oxygen, so as temperatures rise, oxygen vanishes from oceans. Marine biologists are warning that if dead zones continue expanding, oceanic "deserts" could massively deplete marine life and fish stocks.
Related articles: http://www.latimes.com, http://www.sciencedaily.com, http://ap.google.com,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Climate Change
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COASTAL DEVELOPMENT

35. Tower, shops added to port plan
Abridged from: AdelaideNow
30 May 2008
Full text: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow
A 14-storey tower is among four apartment buildings in the revised design for the next stage of the $2 billion Newport Quays development. The third stage of the Port Adelaide waterfront redevelopment project, worth $300 million, will feature about 500 homes – up from 421 in the previous design – and 100 marina berths. The three 12-storey towers in the original design have been reduced to seven and nine storeys in height. The new proposal also includes more cafe, dining and retail space, improved environmental features and a greater focus on the Port's heritage.
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36. Bluff boat ramp to close until October
Abridged from: Victor Harbor Times
28 May 2008
Full text: http://victorharbor.yourguide.com.au
The Bluff boat ramp is to close from Monday to allow for the next stage of the ramp's redevelopment. On Monday night, the Victor Harbor city manager, Graeme Maxwell, asked the council to endorse a closure of the ramp from June 2 until September 30. Mr Maxwell said the next stage of the project would involve the concreting of the wider ramp, the installation of the floating pontoons and the creation of the trailer park.
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37. Park expansion plan withdrawn
Abridged from: Eyre Peninsula Tribune
28 May 2008
Full text: http://eyrepeninsula.yourguide.com.au
Plans to expand the Cowell Foreshore Caravan Park will be withdrawn this week, in response to "overwhelming" community opposition. The District Council of Franklin Harbour this month received more than 200 public submissions, the majority of which opposed a proposal to reclassify sections of community land on the Cowell foreshore. Reclassification would have allowed the park owners - Carramatta Holdings - to purchase the land and, allowing for council and community approvals, facilitate a $5 million expansion of the park.
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38. Boat builder vows to fight eviction
Abridged from: AdelaideNow
26 May 2008
Full text: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow
The boat builder at the helm of Port Adelaide's oldest surviving boatyard, due to make way for the area's redevelopment, has vowed to defy an eviction notice. Kingsley Haskett's Searle's Boatyard is one of three historic boatyards in the Central Basin of the Port River facing extinction by June 30. The area is due for redevelopment as harbourside apartments under a deal between the State Government's Land Management Corporation and Newport Quays, being built by Multiplex and Urban Construct.
Related articles: http://www.abc.net.au
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39. Victor's new $80m island goes on sale
Abridged from: AdelaideNow
22 May 2008
Full text: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow
A man-made 2.5ha saltwater lake is the centrepiece of an $80 million residential development at Victor Harbor. The first stage of the Franklin Island development will be released on Saturday with 21 lakeside allotments starting at $147,500. Ian Marker, general manager of the site's developer, Adelaide Development Company, said the interest in the project had been "extraordinary". Overall, 110 land allotments, ranging in size from 374sqm to 548sqm, will be released over the next few years.
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40. Boat ramp money lost
Abridged from: The Islander
22 May 2008
Full text: http://kangarooisland.yourguide.com.au
The $120,000 promised by the Federal Government for the American River boat ramp upgrade is unlikely to arrive. The new Federal Government, elected in November, put a freeze on all grants through the Regional Partnerships program, which has now been closed. Because State Government grant funding was at risk, the Kangaroo Island Council weighed in with the equivalent of the federal funding, confident the Regional Partnerships money would eventually be forthcoming for the $500,000 project and construction was begun earlier this year.
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INVASIVE MARINE AND COASTAL SPECIES

41. Deadline set on foreshore ferals
Abridged from: ABC Online
27 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Charles Sturt Council in Adelaide has set a deadline of a month for feral cats to be removed from the West Beach foreshore. The council has given support groups the deadline to trap the cats and find them owners or says the animals will be taken to a shelter. Since February, the West Beach rock cats supporters group says it has caged, desexed and microchipped 34 cats.
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42. Bid to end North Haven weed infestation
Abridged from: ABC Online SA News
8 May 2008
Full Text: http://www.abc.net.au
An eradication program is about to start to try to rid North Haven marina in Adelaide of the invasive weed caulerpa taxifolia. A patch of weed has been found near the boat ramp, the first time it has been detected beyond the Port River, Barker Inlet and West Lakes area. Director of Fisheries Will Zacharin says they do not want it spreading further. "It grows very aggressively and can out-compete the local seaweed so we don't want a change to our marine biodiversity and we don't want a change to our fish species particularly if it got off the metropolitan coast," he said.
Related articles: http://adelaide.yourguide.com.au, http://www.abc.net.au, http://www.pir.sa.gov.au
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MARINE SPECIES

43. Whale stranded at River
Abridged from: The Islander
29 May 2008
Full text: http://kangarooisland.yourguide.com.au
A dramatic rescue operation was launched last week to save a rare whale stranded at American River. The whale was discovered first near Ballast Head last Tuesday by a resident who reported it to Fisheries officers. The 4.5m whale was manoeuvred out to sea but about four hours later it was discovered near the wharf at American River in the afternoon.
Related articles: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au
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44. Fin soup threatens survival of sharks: study
Abridged from: ABC Online
23 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The world's peak biodiversity protection body has heard that more than half of the world's ocean sharks are at risk of extinction. The report warns that overfishing partly caused by China's lucrative market for shark fin soup is threatening the existence of nearly a dozen types of sharks. Researchers are worried that the disappearance of shark species could have a detrimental effect on other species upsetting the balance of the marine environment.
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45. Cuttlefish could be harmed
Abridged from: Whyalla News
23 May 2008
Full text: http://whyalla.yourguide.com.au
Adelaide University Associate Professor Bronwyn Gillanders, a marine biologist, has said that the proposed port at Point Lowly could harm the cuttlefish population that breeds in that area each year. She said that extensive research is needed to protect the delicate and unique giant cuttlefish which chose Whyalla as their breeding ground. “There’s the possibility that it could work out okay for the cuttlefish but you can’t afford to make one mistake with this population. “I mean it’s so unique in Australia and the world that essentially you’re potentially wiping out a unique species if you’re not careful, at least from that local area.
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46. Check jet ski impact on birds call
Abridged from: West Coast Sentinel
22 May 2008
Full text: http://ceduna.yourguide.com.au
An osprey nest at Scearcy Bay, used for the past 25 years, may have been abandoned because of recent nearby tow-in surfing activity. Friends of Sceale Bay spokesman, Bob Minnican, said he had asked officers from Fisheries and the Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH) to investigate whether the nest - on top of a rock stack near a surf break and one of the most accessable osprey nest sites on the West Coast - has been abandoned. Mr Minnican said he had also asked the officers to investigate whether an exclusion zone around the stack would be warranted should their initial investigation determine that the nest is still in use.

47. SA birds join endangered list
Abridged from: AdelaideNow
20 May 2008
Full text: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow
Two South Australian birds have joined the endangered species list because their habitat has been destroyed. The Mallee Emu-wren, of which about 100 are found in a tiny pocket of Victoria and South Australia, was yesterday upgraded from vulnerable to endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The South Australian Osprey, of which the largest population exists on the West Coast, has also been added to the endangered species list. Conservationists have blamed habitat destruction and an increasing human presence for the continued decline in the osprey population on the state's West Coast.
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48. Life discovered on ocean mountain – see Wetstuff-News 21 May 2008
Abridged from: Science Alerts, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
20 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
Census of Marine Life-affiliated scientists, plumbing the secrets of a vast underwater mountain range south of New Zealand, captured the first images of a novel “Brittlestar City” that colonized against daunting odds the peak of a seamount – an underwater summit taller than the world’s tallest building. Its cramped starfish-like inhabitants, tens of millions living arm tip to arm tip, owe their success to the seamount’s shape and to the swirling circumpolar current flowing over and around it at roughly four kilometres per hour.
Related articles: http://www.stuff.co.nz, http://environment.newscientist.com
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49. Wildlife numbers plummet globally: WWF – see Wetstuff-News 21 May 2008
Abridged from: AFP
17 May 2008
Full text: http://afp.google.com
The world's wildlife populations have reduced by around a quarter since the 1970s, according to a major report published Friday by the WWF conservation organization. Marine species have been particularly hard hit as the human population booms, while numbers of birds and, fish and animals have also gone down, said the WWF in a report. The study comes ahead of next week's UN convention on biological diversity in the former West German capital Bonn, which will discuss aims to achieve a "significant reduction" in the current rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. Further information: http://www.panda.org
Related articles: http://environment.newscientist.com, http://ukpress.google.com, http://www.foxnews.com, http://www.dailymail.co.uk
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50. Shark film to change perceptions – see Wetstuff-News 14 May 2008
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
10 May 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
Movies such as Jaws and Open Water portray sharks as vicious man-eaters and every year attacks on swimmers make for sensational headlines. But Canadian underwater photographer turned filmmaker Rob Stewart is trying to change the perception of sharks as killers with his award-winning documentary, Sharkwater. The film challenges many of the myths and historical stereotypes about creatures which pre-date the dinosaurs. "The fact is sharks do not eat people - more people are killed by pop [soft drink] machines than sharks," Stewart said...Sharkwater opens on May 15 in NSW and Queensland, with other states to follow. See http://www.sharkwater.com/downloads.htm
Related articles: ABC 7:30 Report: http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/730report, http://www.abc.net.au, http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/
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51. Whales early on annual migration
Abridged from: ABC Online SA News
7 May 2008
Full Text: http://www.abc.net.au
Whales have been arriving at the Head of the Bight in an early start to the annual whale-watching season in South Australia. Managing director of Gunya Tourism, Paul Collins, says there are plans to keep the area's whale centre open all year and to offer accommodation at the site. "There are about five or six whales there already which is very early," he said.
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52. Deep port plan threatens cuttlefish: academic
Abridged from: ABC Online SA News
6 May 2008
Full Text: http://www.abc.net.au
A marine biologist says development of a deep sea port at Port Bonython in South Australia should happen outside the cuttlefish breeding season. The South Australian Government is seeking expressions of interest to develop a deep sea port near Whyalla to support iron ore and mineral exports. Adelaide University Associate Professor Bronwyn Gillanders says it is possible for a new port to co-exist with cuttlefish, but extensive research is needed to ensure that the cuttlefish population is not wiped out.
Related articles: http://www.abc.net.au
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53. Cleaned tortoises returned to Murray
Abridged from: Victor Harbor Times
5 May 2008
Full Text: http://victorharbor.yourguide.com.au
The Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH) have begun releasing healthy tortoises which have been cleaned of tube worm infestation back into Lower Murray River system. DEH Senior Ranger for the Coorong and Lower Lakes District, Stuart Hicks said nearly 200 healthy tortoises have now been relocated as a result of a coordinated rescue effort by Native Animal Network Inc and local community volunteers.
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SHIPPING & PORTS

54. Too much at stake
Abridged from: Port Lincoln Times
29 May 2008
Full text: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
While the Centrex Metals action group is planning a vision for Murray Point in Port Lincoln, one that could include residential living, some locals are against any development because of the area’s environmental and cultural significance. Port Lincoln resident and environmental expert Merrick Savage said while placing housing all over Murray Point might be an attractive proposition to some people - not everyone in the community agreed with it. He said a housing development would harm the rare, vulnerable and endangered flora and fauna species inhabiting Murray Point. Mr Savage said Murray Point had significant Aboriginal Heritage sites and environmental heritage sites as well as man-made wetlands.
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55. Port keen on ore
Abridged from: Port Lincoln Times
29 May 2008
Full text: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
Port Lincoln wharf operator Flinders Ports is keen to see iron ore exported from the main Port Lincoln wharf because it is under used, and Centrex Metals says this wharf is still its preferred option. Because the Port Lincoln City Council said no to Centrex exporting from the main wharf, the mining company secured an agreement to redevelop the old BHP wharf in Proper Bay. Centrex chief operating officer Kevin Malaxos said the main wharf was still an option, and it was “by far” the best option because there would be reduced chance of spillage.
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56. Action group to take stand
Abridged from: Port Lincoln Times
27 May 2008
Full text: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
The newly formed community group aimed to lobby against mineral exports from Port Lincoln will soon make its opinion known to the Port Lincoln City Council. Almost 100 people attended a public meeting at the Port Lincoln TAFE SA campus last Wednesday night to discuss mining company Centrex Metals’ proposal to ship iron ore from the city. The steering committee, which was formed two weeks ago to oppose the building of a bulk ore terminal within the city limits, called the meeting, allowing “planning” and “action” teams to be elected.
Related articles: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
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57. Community to be engaged on Lowly
Abridged from: Whyalla News
23 May 2008
Full text: http://whyalla.yourguide.com.au
Council unanimously carried a motion to review the zoning on the Point Lowly Peninsula and commence a comprehensive community engagement process at Monday’s council meeting. The motion put forward “that council review zoning on the Point Lowly Peninsula to determine whether the zoning protects the environmental, recreational and heritage attributes of the peninsula”. Point Lowly is currently zoned for industrial use and the industrial land is owned by the State Government.
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58. Port Lincoln councillor impressed with Esperance iron ore shipping
Abridged from: ABC Online
22 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
A Port Lincoln councillor says that after seeing the wharf where iron ore is shipped from Esperance in Western Australia, he is positive about a proposal for iron ore to be shipped from Port Lincoln, in South Australia. Neville Starke is one of four councillors returning today from a trip to Esperance, which aimed to see how that community is affected by things such as dust, noise and environmental damage from the shipping of metals in its wharf. Meanwhile, the Port Lincoln Bulk Ore Action Group says the council's trip to Esperance is irrelevant to the wharf debate. "This is a planning issue, involving the use of absolutely prime waterfront land in one of the most beautiful harbours in Australia to be used as a bulk minerals facility."
Related stories: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
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59. Mayor’s Murray Point rezone idea
Abridged from: Port Lincoln Times
22 May 2008
Full text: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
Murray Point and Billy Light’s Point should be rezoned to secure the area for future residential development, according to Port Lincoln mayor Peter Davis. The Community Action Group opposing the use of the old BHP facility at Proper Bay for the shipping of ore has a vision for the Murray Point and Billy Light’s Point area in line with Mr Davis’s. The council voted to support the Eyre Regional Development Board’s request of the State Government to investigate a deep-sea port for Eyre Peninsula.
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60. Centrex lays out facts
Abridged from: Port Lincoln Times
22 May 2008
Full text: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
The views were mixed as people came away from a Centrex information booth in Port Lincoln on Saturday. Some were still against it, some were for it, while others had their negative views converted after receiving more information. Between 350 and 400 people from Port Lincoln and towns, such as Lock and Tumby Bay, attended the booth on Liverpool Street.
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61. Iron ore study
Abridged from: Port Lincoln Times
22 May 2008
Full text: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
A study into the relationship between iron ore and the marine environment will take place from a university’s laboratories. Mining company Centrex has commissioned the independent study to be done by the Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation at the University of South Australia. Study results are expected in eight weeks and will be made available to the public.
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62. Copper concentrate
Abridged from: Whyalla News
16 May 2008
Full text: http://whyalla.yourguide.com.au
The State Government has said that copper concentrate could be exported from the proposed port at Point Lowly. Copper concentrate, according to a Material Safety Data Sheet from Palabora Mining Company, is an inorganic ore containing approximately 30 per cent copper. It has a low toxicity but inhalation and ingestion is dangerous and it is also harmful to marine environments and other eco systems in large quantities.
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63. 60 register interest in peninsula
Abridged from: Whyalla News
23 May 2008
Full text: http://whyalla.yourguide.com.au
So far 60 companies have registered their interest in developing a port on the Point Lowly Peninsula and four other projects, including Kingfish Harbour, a desalination plant and two fuel refineries. The State Government called for expressions of interest (EOI) to develop the port earlier this month. “Companies involved in the mining and resources industry have told us they need a new facility for the cost effective export of their bulk minerals and commodities from the Upper Spencer Gulf,” Premier Mike Rann said.
Related articles: http://whyalla.yourguide.com.au, http://whyalla.yourguide.com.au,
http://whyalla.yourguide.com.au, http://whyalla.yourguide.com.au, http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au
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64. 1000 sign petition against Centrex
Abridged from: Port Lincoln Times
9 May 2008
Full Text: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
Don’t ruin our homes. That’s the message from marina residents who have created a petition opposing Centrex Metals’ plans to ship iron ore out of the Proper Bay wharf. The residents are concerned red dust, noise and traffic will be a problem for marina residents if iron ore is shipped from the wharf, especially for those closer to the site. Group member Tania Booker said the group wanted to make it clear to the State Government they did not want Centrex to operate near the marina.
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65. Centrex set on Proper Bay site
Abridged from: Eyre Peninsula Tribune
8 May 2008
Full Text: http://eyrepeninsula.yourguide.com.au
Centrex Metals will forge ahead with plans to develop a minerals export port at Proper Bay, despite recent opposition from Port Lincoln residents. Centrex is on target to begin mining for iron ore at its Wilgerup tenement near Lock before the end of the year and, as a result, recently signed a 100 year agreement to develop the Proper Bay port as a bulk export facility. "Of course we're going to continue with our proposal at Proper Bay," Centrex Metals managing director Gerard Anderson said.
Related articles: http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au, http://www.abc.net.au, http://www.abc.net.au
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66. BHP Billiton promises answers
Abridged from: The Transcontinental
2 May 2008
Full Text: http://portaugusta.yourguide.com.au
More than 100 people turned out to hear what BHP Billiton had to say about its proposed unloading facility at Monday night's council meeting. Port Augusta Coastal Homes Association spokesperson Trevor Taylor addressed the council with questions for BHP Billiton regarding the proposal, which will be answered by the company by the end of May. The meeting had long been sought by the association, which has concerns that the proposal, as part of the Olympic Dam Mine expansion project, would have detrimental effects on Port Augusta's environment.
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COASTAL WETLANDS

67. SA natural icons dying from thirst
Abridged from: The Independent Weekly
30 May 2008
Full text: http://adelaide.yourguide.com.au
As World Environment Day approaches on 5 June, South Australians have much to reflect upon given the perilous state of our environment. Climate change, drought, reduced river flows, Adelaide’s water insecurity, dying irrigation districts, and salinity are a few of the interrelated environmental challenges which affect our daily lives. Few areas of the state are feeling these effects as acutely as the Lower Lakes and Coorong districts of South Australia. Collapsing ecological systems, acid-sulphate soils, declining water quality, loss of livelihoods, shrinking lakes and the demise of local communities are but a few of the many problems impacting the region.
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68. Water ministers meet as lakes crisis looms
Abridged from: The Independent Weekly
22 May 2008
Full text: http://adelaide.yourguide.com.au
Federal and state water ministers will meet in Adelaide tomorrow as an ecological crisis unfolds in the lower lakes of the parched Murray-Darling Basin. Tensions are also rising over how much farmers will be paid to surrender their water rights, and ministers are expected to discuss how much water - if any - will be allocated to irrigators in the upcoming season. Quentin Grafton, an expert on water pricing at the Australian National University, said the environmental crisis in South Australia's lower lakes was a key issue for the ministers. The lakes are located at the end of the drought-stricken Murray-Darling system and are deteriorating rapidly.
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69. Ecologist urges salt removal from Coorong
Abridged from: ABC Online SA News
12 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
An Adelaide University ecologist says highly saline water must be pumped out of the Coorong to save the area. Dr David Paton says salinity levels are so high that the Coorong, south-east of Adelaide, may effectively be dead within three years. He is proposing a $25 million project to remove the water and replace it with less salty seawater from the Murray mouth.
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70. Murray-Darling prospects still grim
Abridged from: ABC Online SA News
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The Murray-Darling Basin Commission says the most critical areas of the basin are unlikely to improve this year. The latest drought update predicts a worsening downstream in South Australia. It says the water level in the lower lakes of the Murray, near the mouth, are the lowest in living memory.
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71. Pumping begins to prevent SA lake turning acidic
Abridged from: ABC Online SA News
2 May 2008
Full Text: http://www.abc.net.au
A desperate attempt has started to help the lower Murray lakes in South Australia, with the pumping of huge amounts of water into Lake Albert to prevent the soil from turning into sulphuric acid. State Water Security Minister Karlene Maywald says the lower lakes are suffering so much from record low flows into the River Murray that Lake Albert is on the verge of ecological collapse. The water pumping plan, agreed to at the Murray-Darling Ministerial Council in March, will see 400 megalitres pumped from Lake Alexandrina to Lake Albert every day for almost six months to help reduce a build up of acidity.
Related articles: http://www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au
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72. Coorong: the end of the line – see Wetstuff-News 7 May 2008
Abridged from: ABC Catalyst
1 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
South Australia's Coorong is the end of the line - where the Murray meets the sea. The large freshwater lakes, once renowned for the abundance and diversity of their wildlife are, due to recent droughts and increasing irrigation upstream, dehydrating. But, how should a diminishing resource, in high demand, be allocated to meet the needs of primary producers and a thirsty vulnerable environment?
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BLUE ENERGY

73. WA has best offshore wind site – see Wetstuff-News 21 May 2008
Abridged from: Science Alerts
16 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
The winds of change blow longer and stronger in WA than in any other state in Australia according to recent research to find the best site in Australia for an offshore wind farm. As the race to reduce our carbon emissions becomes critical many scientists are tipping offshore wind energy will become the world’s most important and widely used renewable energy source. Some have called it “the new North Sea oil”, with more than 40 offshore installations either operating or under construction throughout Europe.
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COASTAL CONSERVATION

74. Coffin Bay Park over-run with kangaroos
Abridged from: ABC Online
6 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
If you are a kangaroo and you're hopping around Coffin Bay Park chances are your days may be numbered. According to the Department of Environment and Heritage there are 17 kangaroos per square kilometre and they're causing too much damage to the ecosystem.
Manager of conservation Louisa Halliday said culling kangaroos is difficult, but it has to be done for the future of the park. "The natural predators of the kangaroo are no longer present in the Coffin Bay Peninsula with the introduction of the dingo fence." she said.
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POLLUTION

75. 1.5 tonnes of rope removed from beach in Innes National Park
Abridged from: Dept for Environment and Heritage News Release
13 May 2008
Full text: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au
A large bundle of nylon rope weighing about 1.5 tonnes has been removed from Gym Beach in Innes National Park, through the combined efforts of the Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH), the RAAF and the local community. DEH Senior Ranger John Gitsham said the rope was washed up and wedged on the reef of the remote beach during a large king tide.
“The rope needed to be removed because otherwise it could have washed back into the ocean during the next king tide and become a hazard for marine life and ships,” Mr Gitsham said.
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76. Waste clean-up for the Pat
Abridged from: ABC Online SA News
15 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
A project to remove a huge volume of accumulated waste from the Patawalonga waterway at Glenelg is due to start next week, two years after it filled up. The sedimentation basin was designed to stop pollution reaching the sea off the Adelaide coast. But it is clogged with up to 10,000 cubic metres of waste, including litter and leaves, which has been letting other waste spill into the sea.
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RECREATION & TOURISM

77. Builder chosen for jetty
Abridged from: Victor Harbor Times
28 May 2008
Full text: http://victorharbor.yourguide.com.au
Almost three and a half years after it was closed to the public, plans for a new Rapid Bay Jetty have edged a step closer, with the design and construction contract being awarded last week. The State Transport Minister, Patrick Conlon, announced that South Australian civil engineering and construction firm Bardavcol won the contract, a year after tenders for the project closed. Rated as one of the country's top 10 diving spots and built in 1940, the existing jetty was closed in December 2004 after it fell into disrepair. Plans to build a $3.9 million new jetty were announced in September 2006, after the local community rallied for the future of the jetty.
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78. Alcohol causes a quarter of boat deaths: study
Abridged from: ABC Online
28 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
A study of Australian boating fatalities has revealed that alcohol is behind more than a quarter. The study looked at boating fatalities between 1999 and 2004, when 241 people died in Australian waters. It found that human error was behind nearly 75 per cent of the accidents and that one in four victims had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit.
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79. Life jacket changes urged
Abridged from: ABC Online
27 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
A maritime safety conference in Adelaide has been told that changing life jacket design standards could help save lives. Professor Bilal Ayoub from the University of Maryland says standards are too rigid and restrict innovation. He says the biggest problem is that people fail to wear jackets because they are cumbersome and impractical.
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80. KI ferry out until October
Abridged from: The Independent Weekly
22 May 2008
Full text: http://adelaide.yourguide.com.au
Kangaroo Island Ferries has cancelled its services until October. The company says the ferries, which run between Wirrina and Kingscote up to three times a day, have been suspended because of rising fuel prices and falling demand. The ferry, the MV Seaway, will spend the winter in Darwin.
Related stories: http://victorharbor.yourguide.com.au
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81. Massive skull moved to whale centre
Abridged from: Victor Harbor Times
19 May 2008
Full text: http://victorharbor.yourguide.com.au
The one tonne skull of a Southern Right Whale was carefully put into its new home at the SA Whale Centre in Victor Harbor on Monday. The skull is part of a full skeleton, the only one of its kind in Australia, and was transported to Victor Harbor from Bolivar. The female whale, which measures 14 metres, was first seen barely alive with a long line and buoy attached to its tail in July 2001.
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82. Shark Shield gets Coroner's nod
Abridged from: The Islander
16 May 2008
Full text: http://kangarooisland.yourguide.com.au
Recent coroner’s findings have supported the use of the Shark Shield device as a shark deterrent. The inquest came after the shark attack death of an Adelaide University student, Jarrod Stehbens, while diving for cuttlefish eggs off Adelaide in August, 2005. The inquest also found claims that the device caused health problems or attracted sharks were unwarranted.
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83. Dates set for festival
Abridged from: Victor Harbor Times
13 May 2008
Full text: http://victorharbor.yourguide.com.au
Wheels have been turning for months, but now the dates have been set and many vibrant events are in the pipeline, signalling planning for the next Leafy Sea Dragon Festival is well underway. The Yankalilla district will be alive with colour and culture from April 17 to 26 next year, when a small but dedicated Festival Planning Group put their months of meticulous scheming and planning into practice.
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84. Sustainability will drive tourism – see Wetstuff-News 7 May 2008
Abridged from: Science Alerts, University of NSW
7 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
Changing consumer tastes and a focus on the environment will shape global tourism trends in 2020, according to a team of researchers from UNSW’s Australian School of Business (ASB) and other Australian universities. The group, led by Professor Larry Dwyer from the ASB, have uncovered a series of mega-trends in consumer sentiment and values, political and economic factors and IT growth which, it says, will drive the future of global tourism.
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RESEARCH

85. Our region's sea floor being mapped
Abridged from: Victor Harbor Times
19 May 2008
Full text: http://victorharbor.yourguide.com.au
What lies beneath the ocean off the southern Fleurieu Peninsula is being discovered through a new research project … aimed at mapping the ocean floor. Bryan McDonald, Principal Marine Advisor (Science) with DEH's Coast and Marine Conservation Branch, said … "The team is researching our marine habitats using a range of remote technologies, providing far greater detail than was previously available. The habitat maps produced will be used for various projects, which help protect the marine environment and will also be available on the internet when complete".
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PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES

86. Western Yorke Peninsula seagrass aerial photography 1979−81 and 2004 Ground truthing and ecological significance. Environment Protection Authority, April 2008.
Report available at: http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/latest_news.html
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87. Code of Practice for the environmental management of the South Australian abalone aquaculture industry. Environment Protection Authority, December 2007
The objectives of the Code of Practice for the environmental management of the South Australian abalone aquaculture industry (the Code) are to highlight potential environmental issues relevant to abalone farming and provide the industry with recommendations on how they can comply with the Act and associated environment protection policies
Report available at: http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/latest_news.html
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88. A Grain of Sand: Nature's Secret Wonder -Slide Show – see Wetstuff-News 21 May 2008
Abridged from: American Scientist
14 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciam.com
In A Grain of Sand: Nature's Secret Wonder, Gary Greenberg takes us to exotic locales in our larger world to explore extraordinary beauty witnessed on a microphotographic scale.
View slideshow: http://www.sciam.com/slideshow
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89. New Website: Ocean and Coastal Care Initiatives – see Wetstuff-News 7 May 2008
Ocean & Coastal Care Initiatives (OCCI) recently launched a new website. OCCI are a volunteer organisation based on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.
View website: http://www.occi.org.au/
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90. Google diving into 3D mapping of oceans – see Wetstuff-News 7 May 2008
Abridged from: News.com, news blog
30 April 2008
Full text: http://www.news.com
We've got Google Earth and Google Sky. Next up will be a map of the world below sea level--Google Ocean. The company has assembled an advisory group of oceanography experts, and in December invited researchers from institutions around the world to the Mountain View, Calif., Googleplex.
There, they discussed plans for creating a 3D oceanographic map, according to sources familiar with the matter. The tool--for now called Google Ocean, the sources say, though that name could change--is expected to be similar to other 3D online mapping applications.
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91. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (fact sheet) - April 2008
Available at: http://www.environment.gov.au
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GRANTS

92. Community Coastcare Grants – see Wetstuff-News 7 May 2008
Abridged from: Australian Government, Natural Resource Management website
April 2008
Full text: http://www.nrm.gov.au/
Caring for our Country Community Coastcare will support coastal communities to participate in coastal protection and restoration activities. Applications are scheduled to open on 19 May and close on 25 July 2008. Further information: http://www.nrm.gov.au
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AWARDS

93. Call for Entries to Reuters-IUCN Environmental Media Awards – see Wetstuff-News 7 May 2008
Abridged from: Reuters-IUCN Media Release
Reuters Foundation and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) launch the 2008 Media Awards, a worldwide competition aimed at raising global awareness of environmental and sustainable development issues, by encouraging excellence in environmental reporting worldwide. The deadline for entries is 15 June 2008.
Further information: http://www.foundation.reuters.com, http://www.iucn.org/media_awards
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WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

94. International Year of the Reef 2008
The International Year of the Reef 2008 is a year-long campaign of events and initiatives hosted by governments, individuals, corporations, schools around the world to promote awareness, conservation action and strengthen long-term constituencies for coral reef conservation. Anyone is welcome and actively encouraged to participate in this Initiative.
Further information: http://www.icriforum.org and http://www.iyor.org/
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95. Ecological impact of vehicles on beaches, Research Seminar
1pm, Thursday 19 June, Room 0007 Physical Sciences Building
PhD researcher Tanith Ramsdale will be presenting her work on the ecological impacts of vehicles accessing beaches in southern Adelaide, a project within a multidisciplinary research projected called Vehicles on Beaches jointly funded by the Flinders Research Centre for Coastal and Catchment Environments (FR3cE) and City of Onkaparinga.Light lunch/refreshments provided, RSVPs/inquiries to Dr. Gillian Napier,

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SA E-News May 2008