Peter R. Smith OAM - Mannum - MDA Region 6 Secretary
From your article: -
1) “Hardly a week goes by without another announcement from government that additional millions of dollars will be spent ostensibly improving the environment of the Lower Murray. Such announcements are popular with the general public in South Australia. They mostly believe the propaganda that the Lower Lakes really do represent a wetland of international importance and that government expenditure can somehow buy further improvement.”
Please stop belittling South Australians or tell the truth!
2) “ In reality their dammed estuary, known as Lake Alexandrina, surrounded by rabbit-infested farmland and overpriced housing estates is brimming with invasive European carp (Cyprinus carpio) and the voracious predatory English perch, otherwise known as redfin (Perca fluviatilis). A few more fishways, as proposed in the latest $2.9 million funding announcement from the South Australian Minister for the River Murray, Ian Hunter, won't change this dynamic. Key estuarine species, once important to the local fishery need more than distressed tepid water, they need a tide.”
Fish passages are a lot more than, “Slots in dyke walls” as native and non native fish do use the passages to traverse the Locks – Proven Fact!
3) “The Minister claims in the media release that the fishways will provide: "Greater access to breeding areas and different feeding grounds while facilitating the spread of rare native species in the Coorong and Lower Lakes area… Ultimately, it will help to ensure sustainability for more than 30 species of native fish and restore Murray-Darling Basin fish populations."
Unfortunately the Minister is prone to exaggerate but is partly correct!
4) About Mulloway, in 1938 that fishery was lost (which was not that great a loss) and now the professional fishers are doing very well and are certainly not complaining