Barramundi farming plan caged

AUSTRALIA - Concerns are being raised about marine pollution from barramundi sea cage farms proposed for Darwin Harbour and two other sites.

Farm company Marine Harvest wants to build sea cage farms at Channel Island in Darwin Harbour, Port Patterson near Bynoe Harbour and Snake Bay at Melville Island.

Australian Marine Conservation Society campaigner Adele Pedder said the proposed 54ha lease area included the area above the heritage-listed wreck of the Ellengowan and area near the Channel Island coral reef.

"There's nothing to catch the nutrients and it all goes straight into the sea," Ms Pedder said.

"This sea cage fish farm proposed for Darwin Harbour will pump almost as much nitrogen into the harbour as the Larrakeyah raw sewage outfall.

"It's likely that fish feed will build up under the cages and it's immediately adjacent to the heritage-listed coral reefs off Channel Island," she said. But Marine Harvest general manager Lance Hubbert said nutrient levels would not change significantly.

Source: News.com.au