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Urgent Action Needed On Lakes Sand BarAction by the State Government, and not just words in a report, is needed urgently to open up the Lakes Entrance fishing port, according to Gippsland MP, Peter Hall. By The Nationals - 20th March 2007 - Back to News Mr Hall has called for the Government to make funding available immediately to secure a dredger to clear the sandbar, which is described as being the worst in 40 years.
Mr Hall told Parliament last week that he was concerned because, while the Government had said in 2005 that $31.5 million had been allocated to install a sand management system, nothing had been done.
"We welcome the government's announcement of $31.5 million for this project, but the problem is that almost 18 months on, the entrance is close to closing over completely and the build-up of sand is such that the commercial fishing fleet is stranded, some inside and some outside the entrance, and consequently is using other coastal ports," Mr Hall said.
"According to some of the experienced fishermen there, the entrance is the worst they have seen it in 40 years, and even small recreational vessels are having great difficulty navigating through it. The local fishing cooperative has been almost idle with only a trickle of fish going through in the last two weeks."
Mr Hall added that the impacts locally were enormous.
"With the fishing industry at a standstill and no processing taking place there are many people without jobs or income at this point in time," he said. "There is also an impact on the recreation and tourism industry because of the inability to go through the entrance."
The statewide impact was a reduction in the availability of fresh seafood product, he added.
"Part of that $31.5 million was to trial a hopper dredge, but to date such a dredge has not been secured.
"When channel deepening of Port Phillip Bay was trialled the government secured a dredger from overseas. Maybe that sort of action is currently required.
"My call on the minister is to make available the additional funding that is required to secure a dredger that will reopen the entrance to a safe navigable standard and put in place permanent measures to prevent such incidents occurring again."
Outside Parliament, Mr Hall said it was time the State Government got its act together.
"The Government seems more excited about announcing these things than actually doing them. Real people with real issues want some action, not just words."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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