Though emotions are running high about the Government’s proposed aqua-culture development (fish farms) in and around the Saldanha Bay harbour, disappointingly few affected parties have yet taken the time/effort to put their money where their mouths are . . . it is as if everyone is waiting for somebody else to fight the battle on their behalf?
Non-committal comments such as “Stop moaning . . . ” or “You go, guys!” are standard replies to FB posts intended to educate and inform locals about the threats / negative impacts that these fish farms pose to the lagoon, marine life, tourism and socio-economic aspects of Langebaan and surrounding areas.
Thanks to a few concerned residents spearheading the Save The Langebaan Lagoon campaign, the deadline for public comments/input has been extended to 31 March 2017 . . . leaving only a few days for those who have not yet taken action to register and voice their objection. Underneath is a form which affected parties can fill in to help make a difference . . . or they can complete the proxy form of the SAVE LANGEBAAN LAGOON group to allow them to represent you (read further).
https://web.facebook.com/download/preview/182301355595746…
The SAVE LANGEBAAN LAGOON group has also invited everyone who does not have the time to write lengthy objections to complete a proxy form to allow the group to represent them:
“Hi Everyone / PLEASE MAKE AN EFFORT TO REPLY to savelangebaanlagoon@gmail.com
Thank you for registering as an I&AP. Attached is a proxy letter for you to return with your name filled in, if you would like us to represent you in opposing the Aquaculture Development Zone.
https://email.mweb.co.za/service/home/~/?auth=co&loc=en_US&id=53540&part=2
The Save Langebaan Lagoon Action Group is launching an official objection to this development; the greater the group of people, companies and organizations backing us, the greater the chance of a “ unified voice “ in bringing forward the objection.
The objection will be lodged before 31 March 2017 .
It is vital that you email your proxy back on or before 30 March 2017 in order for us to have accurate number of objectors that are backing this offensive.
PLEASE EMAIL document to
THANK YOU TO ALL 919 People who signed I&AP forms / more forms are being collected every day.
And 41 Companies & Organizations who have submitted as IAP’s on their own behalf .
We are not aware of the number of people who have sent their objections directly to SRK.
Thank you.
Kind Regards
Save the Langebaan Lagoon”
Also read more background here:
https://web.facebook.com/weskus123/posts/1472531066099263
Goeie nuus vir beswaarmakers teen die beplande “seeplase” rondom die Saldanhabaai-hawe is dat hulle nou tyd het tot 31 Maart om te registreer en hul skriftelike vertoë en besware in te dien.
Die drukgroepe Save The Langebaan Lagoon en People Against Saldanha Aquaculture is druk besig om handtekeninge in te samel teen die beplande akwakultuur-ontwikkelingsone van 1 872 hektaar wat oester-, mossel- en visplase insluit.
Die drukgroepe meen daar is nie voldoende inligting oor die potensiële besoedelingsgevare beskikbaar en genoeg met belangegroepe gekonsulteer nie.
Een van die kampvegters, Inge Frost, het laat weet hul aansoek om uitstel is goedgekeur tot 31 Maart sodat meer belanghebbendes kan registreer en by die openbare deelnameproses betrek kan word.
”Inge Frost to Save Langebaan Lagoon
March 10 at 11:25am
Good morning , a stunningly hot day in our beautiful town.
We would like everyone to know that some progress has been made. Our application to extend the deadline for registration and commenting has been been approved. The new deadline is 31 March 2017. This extra time helps us get more of the public involved in the participation period.
This also shows that the effort by everyone who has submitted, dropped off forms and we sent through, has not gone unnoticed.
If we all keep making a stand and spreading the word, we will make our opinions count.
Thank you to everybody helping and participating.
Let’s aim for 1500 signatures at least. We will give a count later today.”
Lees meer hier op die FB-groepe:
https://web.facebook.com/groups/400887280265674/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/385882191781246/permalink/390047478031384/
* Intussen het die Departement van Landbou, Bosbou en Seevisserye laat blyk hulle is vasbeslote om, ondanks die besware en kommer, met die ontwikkeling voort te gaan; en oortuig dat dit verantwoordelik bedryf kan word.
Só het hulle op navrae van Die Weslander gereageer:
Q: Three of the proposed aquaculture areas are adjacent to conservation areas in Saldanha Bay. Is this not a conflict of interest between conservation and economic development?
DAFF: The department has undertaken extensive engagement with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) regarding the effects the ADZ could have on adjacent marine protected areas. Mitigation such as decreasing the proposed (development) areas and incorporating additional buffers around the boundaries of [Malgas and Jutten] islands have been incorporated. The aquaculture area adjacent to the marine protected area of the Langebaan Lagoon is no longer included.
Q: Who will be responsible for the monitoring of the proposed farms?
DAFF: Farms will be required to develop environmental management plans and comply with the General Environmental Management Program for the ADZ. The establishment of two committees are proposed. First, the ADZ management committee comprising DAFF, DEA, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Developmental Planning and Transnet National Port Authorities (TNPA). This committee will oversee, facilitate, manage and monitor aquaculture operations in the development area. A consultative forum is also proposed, comprising representatives of relevant government departments, authorities, local organisations and ADZ operators, which will review environmental monitoring data, advise on ADZ management and make recommendations.
Q: How will farmers get farms in Saldanha Bay?
DAFF: Leasing of water space is controlled by TNPA. Farmers lease space from TNPA and have to obtain a marine right from DAFF, which will work closely with the Port Authority when allocating leases and reviewing potential projects. The farms will also have to meet the terms of the national Marine Right.
Q: How much research has been done on the impact of aquaculture projects on the Bay?
DAFF: DAFF is satisfied with the current known information regarding bivalve culture (such as mussels and oysters), which has been done extensively over the years in the Bay. Marine finfish cage culture has not been undertaken on a commercial scale in South Africa, but pilot projects to date have not indicated any negative environmental impacts. Intensive monitoring has thus been proposed for the commercial scale fish farming and, in addition, enough international research and best standards regarding finfish farming exist that can be applied. Any significant impacts on the environment would negatively impact the finfish farms, so it is therefore in everyone’s interest to ensure the growth of the sector is done sustainably.
http://www.netwerk24.com/…/daff-argues-aquaculture-zone-can…
Lemanja Mears wrote: The impact on the sea ecology can be devastating! Look at what is currently happening in Tasmania which is a similar setup to this – they definitely need to implement natural environmental methods to preserve our beautiful ocean with all it’s aquatic life! The radically reduced Dissolved Oxygen levels due to mass production and artificial food (and the pink dyes – if salmon projects are also considered) can be threatening and could result in dead zone pollution if not approached accurately – not to mention the harmful pathogens and bacteria that can breed in the waste build up from excess food and droppings and the sulfur build up in the sedimentary layer of the ocean floor. And if a natural environmental approach is not implemented to these aquaculture projects we might face similar disasters in the future with dramatic results as what is currently occurring in Tasmania especially with the beggiatoa bacteria due to the sulfur-rich environments. A mere environmental impact study based on small pilot project testing can not determine the impact of continues waste accumulation settling in the under layer on these large scale projects and the disastrous effects on the aquatic life and the ocean bed. Also the volume restrictions should be closely monitored as with anything when there is money to be made people tend to push the limits – who will be responsible for the close monitoring, continuous environmental impact studies and pollution prevention in these projects on an ongoing basis? Or will the red flags only be raised once it is too late> http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/…/everything-you…/
Lees ook meer hier:
http://www.weskusontheline.co.za/…/aqua-farming-saldanha-c…/
WeskusonTheline added 3 new photos.
SEEPLASE – JA of NEE? Sê Donderdag jou sê . . .
Hulle noem dit seeplase, visboerdery, akwa-kultuurboerdery of marienekultuur-boerdery en groot dele rondom die Saldanhabaai-hawe word nou vir dié bedryf geoormerk.
In Suid-Afrika is akwakultuur nog in sy babaskoene en kenners is veral bekommerd oor die impak wat so ‘n grootskaalse ontwikkeling op die marienelewe, toerisme en op maatskaplike gebied gaan hê. In SA het akwakultuur tot dusver NIE ‘n baie goeie reputasie nie en in die Gansbaai-omgewing is die salm-boerdery gestaak weens grootskaalse besoedeling en impak op die bestaande visspesies.
‘n Mens wonder ook of dié kunsmatige kweek/teel van marienespesies nie ‘n flou en desperate poging van die Regering is as teenvoeter vir sy onvermoë en onwilligheid om die grootskaalse uitwissing en stroping van SA se marienebronne weens onwettige stropery en die lonende sluikhandelbedryf – veral vir die Chinese/Oosterse mark – te stuit nie. In Gansbaai, waar verskeie suksesvolle perlemoenplase bedryf word, is die stroping van perlemoen erger as ooit en gepaardgaande daarmee die dwelmhandelbedryf. . . en langs die Weskus is die befaamde Rock Lobster feitlik uitgeroei terwyl daar ook ‘n drastiese afname in visspesies is.
In die laaste State Of The Bay-verslag is spesifiek melding gemaak van die hoë besoedelingsvlakke rondom die Saldanha-hawe en die onaanvaarbare hoë vlakke van toksiese spoorelemente in vry-groeiende mossels aan die rand van die hawegebied. Daar is selfs genoem dat die paar bestaande mossel- en oesterplase in Saldanha-waters dalk gesluit sal moet word indien dié besoedelingsvlakke nie drasties verminder nie . . .
Die intensiewe opleiding van kundige personeel en die invloei van ongeskoolde werksoekers wat by so ‘n ontwikkeling betrokke wil raak, is ook ‘n taai tameletjie wat ‘n groot impak op die bestaande gemeenskap en sosiaal-ekonomiese praktyke kan hê.
Die Saldanha-hawegebied is reeds onder geweldige druk weens al die myn-, nywerheids- en riool-afval wat in die see beland en ‘n mens kan nie help om te wonder of die kool die sous op die lang duur werd is nie. Dwelmhandel aan die Weskus is reeds buite beheer en dis ‘n onomstootlike feit dat stroping en dwelmhandel hand aan hand gaan . . .
Intussen is ‘n drukgroep TEEN die beplande akwakultuur-ontwikkeling reeds op die been gebring (lees hieronder) en belanghebbendes kan oormôre (Donderdag) hul insette lewer by ‘n openbare vergadering in die Langebaan Auditorium.
Lees ook meer hier oor Donderdag se vergadering en ander agtergrondinligting oor akwakultuur-boerdery:
http://www.weskusontheline.co.za/2017/02/20/2383/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/400887280265674/permalink/400900916930977/