Caution: posting contains non birding content
G'day Birders, I was reading this news article (below) with interest when I
came across this,
"Before long they were snorkelling around Popes Eye, the world's smallest
man-made marine national park, where they watched some of the bay's 5000
marine species - 90% of which cannot be found anywhere else - swim beneath
them"
Now, I've never been to Port Phillip Bay, but this level of endemism would
be staggering. Is this true? (I know there are a lot of Victorians on the
list who will know more about this area than myself).
Or is this just a figment of a tour guides spiel?
Cheers
Graham Turner
Please note, I am not making any comment on the proposed dredging.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/baywatch-reveals-swarms-of-unknown-life/2008/01/08/1199554654513.html
CLOSE to 20 minutes after leaving the Queenscliff boat harbour yesterday,
those aboard the Maureen M got a memorable introduction to the marine
delights of Port Phillip Bay.
Up to 60 dolphins in pods varying in numbers put on an impressive display as
the 27 people swam among them while being towed by ropes behind the boat.
Before long they were snorkelling around Popes Eye, the world's smallest
man-made marine national park, where they watched some of the bay's 5000
marine species - 90% of which cannot be found anywhere else - swim beneath
them.
Then it was off to Chinaman's Hat, a wooden structure within sight of the
bay's Mud Island bird sanctuary, where they swam with seals.
As opponents of the Port Phillip Bay dredging project await a decision on
their High Court challenge tomorrow, those aboard yesterday's Sea All
Dolphin Swims trip said the experience had given them a better understanding
of what was at stake if dredging went ahead.
"I think it's a real concern because if the
fish aren't here, the other wildlife aren't going to hang around," said
Berndan Dalmau, 38, of Baxter.
Hugh Skinner, 8, from Mulgrave, hoped to return to the bay to see the "big
and colourful" fish and seals again.
His brother Ty, 6, said "it would be a shame if something happened and they
all swam away from here".
Snorkelling instructor Sally Renzenbrink, 24, said she had concerns for the
bay's marine life if dredging went ahead.
"There's more biodiversity here than in the Great Barrier Reef so it would
be devastating if that was jeopardised," she said.
"The bay is so healthy at the minute because it is so shallow, which
encourages kelp, seaweed and seagrass, which in turns encourages marine life
and makes it a great breeding ground for a lot of fish. That attracts
dolphins, and we're lucky enough to have about 120 dolphins that are unique
to Port Phillip Bay."
An environment report last month found the water quality in the bay was
better than it had been for several decades.
This was in part due to the drought, which cut the amount of polluted
stormwater flowing into the bay, but also to the long-term effect of ending
scallop dredging about 20 years ago, according to the Port Phillip and
Westernport Catchment Management Authority.
The report said the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park was in excellent
health.
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