Concerned community members who put in an objection to the proposed Pindimar Abalone Farm can now read and reply to the proponent’s responses online.
Austasia Leefield Pty Ltd, the company behind the proposed abalone farm, has finished responding to the 230 objections put forward against the state significant project.
“We’d like to thank those who put in a submission and encourage another letter to the Department of Planning to refute proponent’s inadequate, woeful and inaccurate responses,” Lesley Lane of the Pindimar Bundabah Community Association said.
The $1.8-million project approved in 2006 was stopped by the Pindimar Bundabah Community Association through a Land and Environment Court challenge.
The proponent is now trying to launch the project again in South Pindimar village.
Last year an Environmental Assessment was put to the NSW State Planning regarding the farm which would produce 60 tonnes of abalone a year with the community given five weeks to comment on the document.
“The community here has so many concerns about this farm,” Mrs Lane said.
“It will cause an unacceptable risk to the environment in and around the port. The farm is land based and will pump 50 mega litres or 20 Olympic sized swimming pools containing abalone excreta into the bay,” she explained.
The Pindimar Bundabah Community Association said the proponent had stated that this would discharge 1000 kilograms of nitrogen into the port per year.
A serious concern for a Port which only flushes every 14 days; as referenced by Manly Hydraulics.
The proponent has said this will be cleansed with an algae farm.
Other concerns of the Pindimar Bundabah Community Association is that the water is too hot for abalone, leading to serious stress in the creatures.
“Stress damages the abalone’s immune system and makes them susceptible to diseases,” Mrs Lane said.
There are also concerns that the farm will destroy five hectares of koala and glossy black cockatoo habitat and destroy the tranquillity of the village.
The association is currently writing to politicians in a bid to find support against the project.
To view the project or to reply to the proponent, search Pindimar Abalone Farm under the major Project Register at planning.nsw.gov.au.