Bermagui residents attended an information session to get details of a proposed kelp farm off Haywards Beach, at the northern end of Bermagui, particularly what environmental assessments would be undertaken to protect the marine ecosystem.
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The July 20 session was convened by University of Wollongong, which in partnership with Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre, is working to understand how the community feels and thinks about the Blue Economy concept and how people want to be consulted about potential developments like kelp farming.
Dr Michelle Voyer, the university's project lead, said the session was the start of a conversation as they gather data on people's reactions to write a report for kelp farm developers and the government.
"It will tell them these are the concerns people have, their hopes and dreams, and how they want to be consulted," Dr Voyer said.
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A valuable and versatile resource
Jo Lane of Sea Health Products in Tilba has a proposal to farm kelp off Haywards Beach.
She is a marine scientist, a marine conservationist who is very concerned about the south coast's declining kelp forests and has worked for the environment for 30 years.
"Our kelp seedlings can be used in restoration projects and developing an innovative new industry of kelp farming.
"Kelp is a versatile resource with applications for food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agricultural feed, fertiliser, bioplastics and building products."
On a Churchill Fellowship in 2019, she travelled the world learning about kelp farming's potential to help mitigate climate change and generate regional jobs.
Extensive assessment
Ms Lane has a lease over 30 hectares with a 20-hectare kelp growing area that will be staged over time, beginning with a one-hectare trial.
She said kelp farm infrastructure is similar to a mussel farm with grow lines three to five metres below the surface and floats on the surface.
Ms Lane said NSW DPI's sustainable aquaculture strategy classifies any development on the coast as 'state significant' and undergoes the highest level of assessment.
An EIS must be prepared and address issues including community and stakeholder engagement, water quality, biodiversity, Aboriginal and European cultural impact, navigation, coastal processes, noise, visual amenity, biosecurity and waste.
Formal consultation process to be developed
"This is the beginning but it won't happen before community engagement and more formal consultation shaped by this information session and workshop," Ms Lane said.
A group of attendees voiced their concerns about the impact on endangered Southern Right whales that breed and birth in the area, the rare Long Swamp, the volume of fresh water needed to wash the kelp, the potential for the kelp farm infrastructure to break in rough seas and become ocean debris and microplastics and the impact on 55 species of migratory seabirds.
Dr Voyer said the session had been very helpful and insightful to shape the formal community consultation process.
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