Fears farm is musselling in on shipping paths

AUSTRALIA - The State's aquaculture regulator is assessing claims a mussel lease has been located too close to the shipping channel in Boston Bay while another lease, near Bickers Island, was unmarked.

Port Lincoln ship's pilot Captain Robert Cobban is concerned about a mussel lease that appeared off the western side of Point Boston and north of the shipping channel entrance beacon that he says could pose a navigation hazard.

Mr Cobban said there had been two cases in the past five years where departing ships occasionally experienced mechanical difficulty ending up in the location of the new mussel lease.

"I am concerned about vulnerability (of the farm) to vessel break down," he said, adding that the mussel farm lines would probably help to slow any errant ship.

Source: Port Lincoln Times