TFIC Media Release:
5 April 2002
Basslink technology backflip signals a win for the marine environment
The Chief Executive of the Tasmanian Fishing Industry Council (TFIC) Bob Lister said "We are very encouraged by the Basslink media report released today which recognises that our well researched and detailed submissions in protection of the Bass Strait marine environment have been accepted and recognised".
"We are pleased that the environmental factors are finally being seriously considered in a proposal that has been driven almost solely by economic factors", Bob Lister said.
The Joint Advisory Panel (JAP) has clearly highlighted the potential negative impacts on the marine environment should a monopole cable with sea electrodes be installed across Bass Strait.
Two concerns raised by TFIC were highlighted by the JAP as being of significant scientific uncertainty. The JAP recommended that the Precautionary Principle be applied to the questions of electrode chemical emissions and also the corrosive effects of stray currents that are present with the sea electrode system.
TFIC voiced serious concerns that even with a separate metallic return cable (that eliminates these two problems) the electro-magnetic fields generated by the movement of water across both of the cables could have a seriously negative effect on migratory species and the Southern Shark Fishery (worth $13 million annually).
It was heartening to see that these concerns have been listened to and understood by the proponent and that they now plan to bundle the cables together during installation. This should have the result of reducing electro-magnetic fields to a minimum that should have little effect on migratory species.
TFIC Executive Officer Ralph Mitchell said today "This decision signals a significant win for the protection of the marine environment in Bass Strait and also for our members involved in the valuable shark fishery. The substantial effort and expense required for TFIC to research this proposal both in Scandinavia and locally has been an investment for Tasmania.
However, it must be said that this proposed change in technology is not really a great concession as it has been proven to be unsustainable elsewhere. The monopole system with sea electrodes is not permitted in the United States and is no longer allowed in some Scandinavian countries due to the negative marine environmental effects".
Ralph Mitchell can be contacted on 0417 341 350