Conservation scientists advising the federal authorities have known as for fossil gas exercise within the location of Woodside’s proposed multibillion fuel challenge to be urgently reviewed to guard the stronghold of an endangered sea snake.
The dusky sea snake, Aipysurus fuscus, was positioned on the nation’s threatened species record this week and is thought solely to exist on a small variety of reefs off the Western Australia Kimberley shoreline.
The official conservation recommendation from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee stated the snake’s final remaining stronghold was Scott Reef.
International heating was damaging the coral reefs that present habitat for the snake, the recommendation stated, and hotter temperatures have been straight affecting the species. Oil spills and marine noise was additionally probably affecting the snake.
Final month it was revealed the WA state authorities’s Environmental Safety Authority had assessed Woodside’s Browse basin challenge as unacceptable. The challenge will drill at Scott Reef.
The recommendation stated Scott Reef needs to be designated a “critical area” for the snakes’ safety “from known and potential impacts caused by the local fossil fuel industry, including development of the Torosa gas field”.
Fossil gas trade actions throughout the Browse Basin and elsewhere in Commonwealth waters of the Timor Sea needs to be urgently reviewed, the recommendation stated, “to determine if known and potential impacts to the dusky sea are adequately considered and avoided”.
All “excessive or constant marine noise” wanted to be eradicated “including from drilling and shipping”, the recommendation stated, which might trigger “fatal or debilitating barotrauma or stress-related reductions in immunity, feeding and growth of sea snakes – including the dusky sea snake – at nearby reefs and shoals”.
However the recommendation additionally stated the results of marine noise on snakes have been “poorly known and under-researched”.
A variety of different steps have been wanted, the recommendation stated, together with intensive monitoring and analysis into the snakes and their habitat.
Joe Rafalowicz, head of local weather and vitality at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, stated the itemizing of the snake needs to be a “wake-up call” for Woodside and the federal atmosphere minister, Tanya Plibersek, who might want to decide on the Browse challenge.
after publication promotion
He stated that Plibersek’s dedication to “no more extinctions” beneath the Labor authorities “will ring hollow” if she doesn’t instantly comply with her personal departments recommendation to guard Scott Reef from the fossil gas trade.
“Crucial reforms to our national nature law have stalled in parliament – which means Woodside can get away with drilling for gas in critical habitat for the dusky sea snake, as the species was listed after Woodside’s approval document was submitted.”
Jess Beckerling, the manager director of the Conservation Council of WA, stated Woodside wished to drill as much as 50 fuel wells round Scott Reef.
“The government must heed its call for an urgent review of potential impacts from Woodside’s plan,” she stated.
“To protect the endangered dusky sea snake, and all the other marine life at Scott Reef, the government must refuse Woodside’s Browse gas proposal.”
Guardian Australia has approached Woodside and Plibersek for remark.
