A mass stranding event at Upstart Bay resulting in about 80 adult greens coming ashore dead and dying. All the turtles were healthy prior to beaching with good fat levels so clearly not starving. Pathology and histology shows nothing.
Combined with ongoing turtle deaths in and around Gladstone, the trend is a major concern. Dead turtles around the Gladstone area were in a similar healthy condition with no evidence of starvation. AFA is also hearing rumours of humpbacks stranding showing signs of acute starvation but so far, we’ve not been able to confirm this information.
It’s great that former Senator Bob Brown is on the Steve Irwin protesting at James Price Point where WOODSIDE has been given initial consent by the Western Australian government to construct a massive gas hub which will impact the migration of the Humpbacks on the west coast. The hub will also put at risk the Humpback whale nursery which is nearby.
But why is there no protest vessel sailing up and down the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area where Humpbacks are currently migrating – where Migaloo, the white Humpback Whale was seen in the last day or two.
The public who are concerned about James Price Point need to ensure they also focus on the terrible degradation of Australia’s east coast and the appalling loss of marine life. So many sick fish, dying and dead turtles, dugongs who are so hungry the fishermen are hand feeding them where they can.
The east and west coast of Australia are under siege by the resource industry. It’s very clear that the Federal and State governments are paying nothing but lip service to the appalling damage which these industries are wreaking on the marine environment.
