Monitoring for introduced marine pests for the Gorgon LNG Project*
F. WellsURS.
The APPEA Journal 51(2) 674-674 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ10054
Published: 2011
Abstract
Chevron Australia Pty Ltd is constructing a major gas processing plant at Barrow Island, WA. There are also substantial marine environmental values along with the widely known terrestrial environmental values of Barrow Island. Chevron has adopted an extensive, proactive program to protect the Barrow Island marine environment from introduced marine pest species (IMP), including mechanisms to prevent their arrival, a monitoring program to detect any IMP that do arrive, and action plans to be used should a pest species be detected.
A monitoring strategy based on the national IMP monitoring protocols has been developed for Barrow Island. Remote operated vehicle (ROV) transects are made at six monthly intervals, at a combination of sites within and outside operational areas. The ROV surveys are supplemented by beam trawl sampling of biota in sandy areas.
Quarterly monitoring occurs at four sites along the east coast of Barrow Island, using shoreline visual searches, settlement plates and sediment cores for toxic dinoflagellates. A similar quarterly sampling program has been established at the major supply bases at Henderson, south of Perth, and Dampier. This is to provide early warning should an IMP be detected in either locality.
The combination of prevention, monitoring and response is a cutting edge response designed to prevent the introduction of IMP to Barrow Island waters.
Dr Fred Wells was senior curator of aquatic zoology at the Western Australian Museum for many years. While there, he developed a keen interest in tropical marine ecosystems and Western Australian marine habitats. His knowledge of the marine molluscs of WA led to an awareness of introduced species and the problems of marine pests. Fred moved to the WA Department of Fisheries in late 2007, where he led a three-year research program on introduced marine pests. He has since moved into environmental consulting, with the management of marine pest issues remaining a key focus of his work. |
References
AQIS, 2008—Australian Ballast Water Management Requirements. Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, Canberra ACT.Chevron, 2008—Gorgon Project Phase 4 Marine Quarantine Zonation for Barrow Island. Chevron Australia Pty Ltd, Perth. Document G1-NT-PPRX-0000009.
McDonald, J.I., and Wells, F.E. (2009). Results of a 2007 survey of the Swan River region for four introduced marine species. Department of Fisheries, Western Australia. Fisheries Research Report 189, 1–24.
NIMPCG, 2009a—Marine Pests Monitoring Manual: Version 1. National Introduced Marine Pests Monitoring Group, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra.
NIMPCG, 2009b—Australian Marine Pests Monitoring Guidelines: Version 1. National Introduced Marine Pests Monitoring Group, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra.
