According to the news report the New South Wales Department of Industry and Investment has raised the prospect that compensation may have to be paid to the Hunter’s fishing industry if the Tillegra Dam is built. Last year Hunter Water released an Environmental Assessment Report (EAR) for the $477 million Tillegra Dam proposal.
Commenting on the report the Department of Industry and Investment made a submission which was tabled in State Parliament after a “call for papers” motion from The Greens. The submission has raised concerns about the impacts of withholding the fresh water that currently flows into the Hunter River Estuary from the Williams River, which will be dammed if the Tillegra Dam project goes ahead.
As per the submission the dam could have a significant long term effect on estuarine processes and productivity, with flow on impacts to the commercial fishing industry that relies on the estuary as a breeding and nursery area for its product. The report also states that specific studies on the Hunter River prawn populations showed significant links between the prawn catch and the influence of rainfall events and freshwater inflows to the estuary.
It is told that if the submission approved, the Department would therefore request a condition of consent that would require Hunter Water to monitor and model prawn catches and commercial fish catches in the Hunter River and offshore fisheries reliant on Hunter prawn and fish species, to determine the level of impact on the commercial fishing sector from the project.
The Greens MP John Kaye said the Department of Industry and Investment is not the first State Government agency to raise concerns about Tillegra Dam. He added that it is now clear that there is a widespread revolt against the dam in the public service. He further said that yet another document has come out with a government department or agency absolutely slamming Tillegra Dam.
