Comment

Comment by Rob Messenger on October 10, 2011 at 10:08pm

Attached are the pics taken by Pro Fisher Nathan Fox showing the slick off Turkey Beach this morning. Nobody, including the experts, know anything. There is not enough credible and independent tests being done.

Its as if the government have lifted the fishing ban in order to make the problem go away.

 

Its like the add for the insurance company.. "Charter boat? What Charter Boat!!?"

 

Only this time its " Water quality problem? What Water quality problem!!?"

 

 

Comment by Rob Messenger on October 10, 2011 at 11:15am

Gladstone Seafood crisis continues - Dark slick & dead marine life discovered at Turkey Beach

 

The discovery of a dark mass of slick mucus at Turkey Beach and deceased turtles today has prompted Member for Burnett Rob Messenger to call on the Fisheries Minister to urgently ensure independent tests were carried out.

 

Alarms were raised when Turkey Beach commercial mud crabber, Nathan Fox, discovered the murky unknown substance and the dead turtles floating amongst it while out on his boat this morning.  Mr Fox plans to return to the location again today to collect the deceased turtles and samples of the slick.

 

"This is another reason why we have to have independent testing.  The testing has got to involve the commercial fishermen," Mr Messenger said.

 

Mr Messenger has called on the Fisheries Minister to rethink the lifted ban in the Gladstone area, and send a crew out there to carry out testing today.

 

"This cannot wait.  We need a crew out there testing the water and the murky slick today to find out exactly what it is," he said.

 

"We need reliable, independent scientific information collected quickly," he said.

 

 

 

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:ROB MESSENGER 0407 904 134

 

Comment by Rob Messenger on October 10, 2011 at 11:13am

The latest news from Turkey Beach is contained in the following conversation I've just had with a Professional fisherman. He's discovered a slimy slick with 2 dead Turtles in it.

 

Nathan Fox

Commercial mud crabber from Turkey Beach.

 

 

Went out for a run today in boat - what did you see  at turkey beach?

 

Half way through in pots then come across  a big slick - not a breath of wind stirring up anything anywhere... then came across what looked like an oil slick...but it wasn't oil.. just a really dark mass of mucus...muddy mucus and went to scoop a couple of bottles of samples out of it then turned head and saw  one dead turtle, then followed it along and found another one...picked up the turtle and blood was coming out of its mouth.  had to come home.

 

going to go get some more samples of those animals today.

 

Where, locate the area of the slick? where was it coming from?

 

From the boat ramp at turkey beach, about 2kms across the bay, on a south-east  direction,  and the slick seemed to go around at least 2 kms...then I had trouble so had to stop. was going to follow. you can see it as far as the eye...  it wasn't very wide - it was only in some places 50 metres wide, some places10 metres wide

it went for about 2kms.   it went from a creek called tomahawk to a creek called ?? on the eastern side of turkey bay.

 

how far down in the water was the water disturbed?

 

It was all around it, it was crystal clear, and then just where the slick was, it was just disgusting thing on top of the water..  you can disturb it, it didn't take much disturbing, then it sunk and laid half in the water.   not a breath of wind so it wasn't getting disturbed and it was all floating on the surface than as soon as we touched it, it sank.

 

It was like...wasn't really oil, it just like a mud... it looked like an oil slick but you  stir it up and there was all mucus through the water.

 

The turtle was floating in the middle of it. no marine life around it, just the two turtles.

 

Haven't got any crabs.- totally dead...no females. ..no males...  no undersized. this time last year we had lots of undersized.

 

What message for the Premier and minister for fisheries?

 

Just get someone that tells the truth to test the water.. the water quality was better  this year in the last couple of weeks when they tested it  then it was this time last year - I really find it hard to believe..   there's just too much money involved

 

 

 

Comment by Rob Messenger on October 8, 2011 at 2:20pm

Alan, feel free to start the group discussion and just reference it back to my blog if you want. I'm ashamed to admit I don't know how to start up the group discussion function.. or probably more to the point I'm to lazy to learn it.

 

 

Comment by Rob Messenger on October 8, 2011 at 1:36pm

Dale, its the best article I've seen on the crisis. Thank you for giving me the heads up.

The pic I've attached is of a sting ray which washed up on Turkey Beach on Wednesday 28.10.11.

 

I'd just finished meeting with Ossie Hodgetts, Steve Hodgetts, the QSIA solicitor and a few other local fishermen. 

 

I showed Steve the pic and he made a number of comments which caused concern.

 

1) At the time there was a fishing ban at Turkey beach ( yes the ban extended that far south of Gladstone Harbor) and the Ray hadn't been caught and left on the beach by a fisherman.

 

2) It had died of un-natural causes and he pointed out the red lesions on the underside flaps of the Ray.

 

3) Very rare to see an adult ray washing up and dying of disease, they are very resilient and tough creatures. Therefore what ever is killing them is potent and unprecedented.

 

Comment by Rob Messenger on October 7, 2011 at 1:16pm

Dale, interesting article. Pro-fishers have told me that the buyers in the sydney and melbourne markets will not touch any seafood coming out of Gladstone. The industry is destroyed in Gladstone today and its not looking good for the near future.

 

I'm waiting on a reply for a meeting time with the minister in parliament next week. Hopefully we can get some more answers.

Comment by Rob Messenger on October 7, 2011 at 6:10am

Laurel yes, this is related to the boils and rashes on the fishermen and others after coming into contact with water and fishing gear. And yes this is being down played.

Comment by Laurel Ender on October 7, 2011 at 12:42am

is this related to the mysterious lesions on fish and fishermen?

amazing they cannot say what bacteria is causing it?

and despite people being hospitalised for ulcerations  and infections they are downplaying it bigtime.

fishy indeed.