Save Darwin Harbour

Inpex may block fish spot

ALYSSA BETTS, NT News. March 2nd, 2009

INPEX yesterday could not guarantee that access to popular fishing spots in Darwin Harbour would not be restricted by its gas plant development.

Darwin general manager Sean Kildare said fishos might have to wait up to five months to find out how recreational fishing - in spots such as Catalina Creeks - would be impacted.

Mr Kildare - speaking to a packed Amateur Fishermen's Association NT (AFANT) annual meeting - said safety was the key priority in designing the plant.

"We are doing everything we can to accommodate your concerns without compromising health, safety and environmental standards," he said.

"However, I can't come here and tell you that we will have no impact at all."

Retiring AFANT committee member Tony Hare told Mr Kildare that many recreational fishos were concerned about restricted access to Catalina Creeks.

"They're very popular - and I believe your area is going to cover certain areas of that," he said.

"Are we going to get access, or don't you know?"

Locals show off their catch

Mr Kildare said the engineers' report on gas plant designs and possible restrictions to fishing areas was expected to be finished within three to five months.

He told the meeting each aspect of the plant would have a safety exclusion zone - like the ConocoPhillips plant.

"(This is) to ensure that the safety of the harbour is not compromised," he said.

"For example, when a LNG ship picks up its cargo there will be a LNG exclusion zone around that ship.

"There will also be a permanent exclusion zone around the jetty - but the size of these zones is not yet determined."

He shot down rumours there would be up to an extra 19 ships entering the harbour each week once the plant was operating, saying the number would be about "three or four cargoes a week".