NEWS DESK
Dolphin deaths lead to tighter rules for fishing
Beside the bay: The annual Walk for Western Port help raise money for the Dolphin Research Institute and awareness of threats to the environment. Picture: Justin Betts, Whitelight Photography
Bay ‘wonders’ open up on dolphin walk ABOUT 250 people and many of their pets walked around the foreshore near Hastings for this year’s Dolphin Research Institute’s Walk for Western Port. “We started the Walk for Western Port five years ago to open people’s eyes to the wonders of our bay,” the institute’s executive director Jeff Weir said. “The event is a key part of the Institute’s i sea, i care ambassador program and this year 24 schools were at the walk, from the municipalities of Frankston, Kingston and Mornington Peninsula. “This means that the experiences of the children on the day and the Western Port messages will be shared with
close to 15,000 people in their school communities.” The event is supported by Melbourne Water, which is responsible for managing the 2232 kilometres of rivers and creeks that flow into Western Port. Melbourne Water’s waterways manage (South-East region), Greg Bain, said that the bay’s environment was one of international significance and the event was a “great way” to learn more about the area and raise awareness of the many species that live there. Mr Weir credited Melbourne Water’s Western Port Science Review with “opening up many of Western Port's secrets”.
“A key finding of the study is that the mudflats support more than one per cent of the world's population of six species of birds,” he said. “They feed on a rich diversity of shrimps, worms and molluscs that live in the mud. To put this in perspective, one per cent of humans would mean over 60 million of us living in Western Port.” Mr Weir said sediment was “one of the problems” facing the bay because “of our actions in the catchment”. “Western Port's wetlands and mudflats act as giant kidneys to purify land-based run-off, stopping the bay from turning green like an aquarium with a clogged filter,” he said.
NEW restrictions have been imposed on the fishing industry following the deaths of eight dolphins and four fur seals during two offshore trips by the factory trawler, Geelong Star. The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) says trawlers in the small pelagic fishery must now only fish during daylight while the Geelong Star has to prove if has taken “all reasonable steps … to minimise further marine mammal mortalities”. Boats operating within a defined management zone would face a sixmonth ban on fishing if a dolphin died as a result of their operations. The tightening of fishing rules is seen as a “significant win for marine mammals in Australian waters”, by Jeff Weir, executive director of the Hastings-based Dolphin Research Institute. “Our goal should be to eliminate marine mammal deaths as bycatch, most critically because we don’t know enough about the vulnerability of dolphin communities around our coast, so much more research is required,” he said. He said marine mammal deaths as bycatch in Australian waters is “bigger than the operation of the Geelong Star” and the DRI “welcomes the breadth of AFMA's announcement to include all small pelagic fisheries in Australian waters”. “Eight dolphin deaths in two trips are unacceptable,” the AFMA’s CEO Dr James Findlay said.
“We have said all along that the vessel management plan was a live document and we would be adaptive and responsive to ensure that all reasonable measures are in place to minimise harm to marine mammals.” Mr Findlay said the Geelong Star must be fitted with tamper proof cameras to monitor its fishing activity before setting sail for its third voyage. “In addition to e-monitoring, two AFMA officers will remain on board to closely observe the vessel’s operations,” he said. While encouraging the vessles operato, Seafish Tasmania, to work with marine mammal experts to ensure it stays “within the restrictive fishing conditions”, Mr Findlay said “all fishing poses risks that can sometimes lead to the unintentional harm to marine mammals”. Mr Weir said the AFMA's night fishing ban and threat to close the entire fishery if any dolphins die in future operations “is a strong evidence-based response”. “Some important research in this area has been funded by the federal government and these recent deaths confirm that this funding should be ongoing,” Mr Weir said. “Where there are gaps in our knowledge we need to undertake more research and use the precautionary principle to ensure the long-term protection of marine mammals in Australian waters.” Keith Platt
Memorial mail out
Message clear: The team shows off the Pink Lady stencils on the grass. Pictures: Defence.
Dogs put the bite on Saints HMAS Cerberus Dogs footy team hosted its second annual Pink Sports Day against a St Kilda City third division team on Saturday to raise funds for breast cancer research. Raffles, tin shakes and sales helped the club raise $400. A ceremony to name the oval the McAuliffe Oval, after recently retired Lieutenant Commander Murray McAuliffe, was held before the game. The McAuliffe family have been key supporters of the Cerberus Football Club for 39 years. Despite threatening skies, chilly winds and injuries forcing two players off-field, both teams showed spirit with the Dogs easily winning 125 points to St Kilda’s 13.
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Western Port News 12 May 2015
Best-on-Ground was James Falkenburg, of the Dogs, with Samuel Hornby of the Dogs and Elijha Salesui, of St Kilda City, named Most Sportsman-Like. HMAS Cerberus has named 2015 ‘The Year of Community and Family’. “Supporting the good work of Breast Cancer Network Australia strikes a chord with many of the players and supporters who have known a friend or family member struggling with breast cancer,” Cerberus spokesperson Katherine Mulheron said. Shoulder to shoulder: Cerberus captain Torben Louwen-Skovdam and St Kilda’s Elijha Salesui make a contest of it.
RED Hill and Main Ridge residents are about to receive a request to donate towards a community structure that has already been built. The war memorial at the corner of Point Leo and Shoreham roads was completed in time for this year’s Anzac Day ceremony, the first to be held there for 30 years. However, the cost of the memorial – five steel columns with bronze plaques – from a $6000 grant from the federal government and loans from private citizens. Red Hill Community Association hopes it will be able to repay the loans with donations from the public. The association hopes to raise $55,000 from the mail out. Donors names will be added to a separate plaque on the memorial. They will also be ranked according to the amount of money donated: silver, $100-$499; gold, $500-$999; and platinum, $1000 and above. For more information call Felicity Jackson on 0438 425 815.