NO MEANS NO: Spokesman for Great Lakes oyster farmers, president of the Wallis Lake Shellfish Quality Assurance Program, Anthony Sciacca, said coal seam gas could destroy the region’s $10 million industry. Photo: Carl Muxlow
RESPONSIBLE for producing one third of the state’s oysters, Wallis Lake farmers fear coal seam gas mining will destroy their $10 million industry.
As the O’Farrell government inquiry makes its way across the state spokesman for Great Lakes oyster farmers, president of the Wallis Lake Shellfish Quality Assurance Program, Anthony Sciacca, said insufficient research has been undertaken into the impacts on groundwater from ‘fracking’ (fracturing of rock to extract coal seam gas).
“There doesn’t seem to be a lot of knowledge about the long term effects, especially to the contamination of our underground water supply, that eventually makes its way into our waterways and if contaminated could spell the death of our globally iconic product.”
He said the Great Lakes is one of the last major production estuaries of the Sydney Rock Oyster with the Hawkesbury, Richmond and Tweed all contaminated by acid sulphate and round up.
“The Great Lakes oyster industry is worth about $10 million but the flow on effects are huge, by the time our oysters get to the plate they’d be worth $30 to $40 million to the Australian economy.
Great Lakes Advocate
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