Secret army wall ‘threat to fisheries’

Kim Waters
ARMY officials have rejected claims a new rock wall on a secretive military base at Swan Island is altering tidal flows and ruining productive fishing grounds.
A Defence Department spokesperson confirmed work had begun on a second wall 150 metres long and two metres high to sit behind an existing structure to prevent coastal erosion.
“This work will not impact on tidal flow.”
The spokesperson said the department commissioned a study on “coastal erosion and coastal behaviour” in conjunction with the wall work.
But Queenscliff fisherman accused the Defence Department of keeping them and council in the dark on the “sneaky” project
Queenscliff Fishing Charters and Scenic Tours operator Tim Diviano said the wall would hurt his business.
“If you have your average person coming out to fish three times and two of those three times they don’t catch anything then it will be really bad for us,” Mr Diviano said.
“It’s a popular spot for whiting fisherman and I’ve heard it’s become a problem for them. Any negative change like that will eventually affect us financially.”
Mr Diviano rejected the department’s defence of the rock wall.
“If you put any sort of large structure like that into the ocean then of course it will change the tides and the movement of fish.”
Fishing writer and Geelong tackle store manager Brian Long backed Mr Diviano’s concerns.
Mr Long said the rock wall would cause “different styles of eddies”, potentially driving the fish away permanently.
“This time of year you have the least number of anglers down there and that’s the time they’ve chosen to do this,” he said.
“We’re up in the air on what is happening.”
Queenscliff Mayor Bob Merriman was “unaware” of the wall expansion.
“It’s Commonwealth land and the Defence Department can do whatever they want there,” Cr Merriman said.