The Conservation Council of SAs Reef Watch Community Monitoring Program is holding a workshop to launch its exciting new "Feral and in Peril" program. This program will enable the fast growing diving and snorkelling community to help address two key marine conservation issues: invasion by introduced marine species, and the largely unknown status of a number of potentially threatened marine species.info@reefwatch.asn.au.

The workshop will be hosted by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) Aquatic Sciences at 2 Hamra Ave, West Beach from 1.30pm to 4.30pm on Saturday, 30 November.

The "Feral and in Peril" program is funded by the Threatened Species Network and Fisheries Action Program of the National Heritage Trust. Along with SARDI, the program has the support of a number of government and university departments, including Primary Industries and Resources SA, the Department for Environment and Heritage (Coast and Marine Branch), the South Australian Museum, and the three South Australian Universities.

The workshop will feature some of the States top marine scientists and managers as presenters. These include Professor Anthony Cheshire (SARDI/Adelaide University), Dr Scoresby Shepherd (SARDI), and Thierry Laperousaz (Museum)

Feral

In Peril

Participants will be issued with the "Feral and In Peril" kit, which consists of illustrated, waterproof slates and an information booklet. The workshop will familiarise divers with the kit and increase their ability and confidence to identify the marine species of concern, as well as providing interesting insight and information about the species involved and associated research and management in South Australia.

To register for the workshop or obtain further information about it or Reef Watch activities generally, people should contact James Brook at the Conservation Council on 8223 5155 or at

: Impacts such as coastal development, industrial pollution, destructive fishing methods and the introduction of pest species are threats to a number of native marine species. Few marine species are currently fully protected in South Australia (the least of any of the states), mainly due to a lack of information about their status. The "Feral and In Peril" project aims to address this dearth of information by collecting and collating data on the abundance and distribution of a number of temperate marine species in SA that have been identified as being of conservation concern. : The recent and aggressive infestation of Caulerpa taxifolia in West Lakes and the upper reaches of the Port River shows the potential that introduced species have to harm our marine environment. There could be worse to come, with other prolific and easily transported introduced species, such as Japanese Kelp, already entrenched in Tasmania and Victoria. An early warning system, provided by community divers and snorkellers, will be vital to the timely management of any outbreaks occurring in South Australia.

Marine Park gate flaps in the wind whilst the aquaculture horse bolts through

On 1 July this year, the Aquaculture Act came into operation. After many years of campaigning for reform of aquaculture regulation and management, 3 Parliamentary Inquiries, the states longest environment court case against 6 tuna farms off the Lower Eyre Peninsula (won by CCSA and the EDO), and a number of criminal prosecutions under the Dev. Act, legislative reform has occurred. The Act is not the panacea wed hoped for, but it does provide for an advance on the EPAs oversight of proposed aquaculture operations.

1 step forward... 2 steps back

Unfortunately, recent events have shown that even under Labor, we still need to watch PIRSA and Planning SA like a hawk when it comes to aquaculture regulation. The direction of aquaculture planning is in direct conflict with native wildlife including sea lion colonies - its akin to putting a sheep farm in a dingo reserve. Despite the rhetoric of more accountable aquaculture laws, the recent decision (12 Sept 02) to permanently end community rights of Appeal of aquaculture operations off the Lower Eyre Peninsula (via the Interim/instant operation of a Plan Amendment Report amending the Development Plan for that area, making aquaculture Category 1 complying) was a retrograde and unprecedented step undertaken by stealth (we were not aware until after it was gazetted, despite our membership of the States statutory Aquaculture Advisory Committee). This is the first time any area of the sea in this State has been zoned under the Development Act for industrial purposes, and marks an end to the only effective opportunity for community scrutiny of the tuna feedlot industry.

Help us put aquaculture in its place

We need you to write a quick but firm submission written to the Development Policy Advisory Committee (DPAC) on the Lower Eyre Peinsula Aquaculture PAR (as mentioned above) by 12 November. Tell DPAC that industrial zoning of the sea is not on, and say you want to be heard at that the Adelaide or Pt Lincoln hearings. Email your submission to: hensgen.justin@saugov.sa.gov.au. Go to www.planning.sa.gov.au to see the PAR. For more pointers on what to say in the submission go to the CCSA website at: www.ccsa.asn.au or phone 8223 5155 (general@ccsa.asn.au). To see the Aquaculture policies out for comment, go to: www.pir.sa.gov.au/aquaculture. There is a new groundswell of concerned conservationists and experts getting active on ensuring a strong community voice on aquaculture and marine management. To get involved with them, contact Chris Ball, Australian Marine Conservation Society (SA) Branch President, on 8223 5155 or at: box60@ozemail.com.au . Now is the time to make sure aquaculture is put in the right place, in the right way, not where it shouldnt be, without independent scrutiny.

Glacial intertia of marine conservation

For the past 10 years, aquaculture has advanced at great speed  an important opportunity for rural communities. However, despite successive Premiers and Environment Ministers professing the intention to get a System of Marine Parks in place across SA waters, and better integration of marine management so that development decisions on aquaculture, fishing and mining are not made at the expense of our precious marine ecosystems, we are still no further advanced in real terms. SA has only 1 Marine Park (at the Great Australian Bight) and the total area of SA waters protected in any form of MPA is a paltry 3.5% (most of which is multiple use). The international baseline for a minimum level of areas given high protection is moving to 30% of each marine bioregion. Legislative Review and/or advancement of the Fisheries Act and the Aquaculture Act are occurring, but the Coast Protection Acts long overdue Review and evolution into a desperately needed Marine and Coastal Management Act is still on the slow burner somewhere in DEH. The call for implementation of the Marine and Estuarine Strategy of 1998 continues to fall on deaf ears and the status of the Office of Coast and Marine in DEH has been downgraded to a branch. And it is likely that the Fisheries Act review will remove dedicated legislation for the establishment of marine parks and fisheries habitat protection. This will create a legislative vacuum for Marine Parks and Marine Planning measures.

The commitment to see a System of MPAs (including areas of high protection) and Marine Plans in place in SA within 5 years, has suffered delay after delay, and is being further revised to 7 years and beyond due to the lack of resources to implement it. In 7 years DEH will be breathing the dust of the exclusive rights being given to aquaculture operations now the only areas left to marine parks will be those not worth having. This toe in the water policy is simply not adequate and does not match Labors election commitment on marine issues. Recent initiatives such as development of the Pt Adelaide Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary, the commencement of the process of investigating the notion of an MPA at Encounter Bay, and a number of positive but largely ad hoc and minor marine conservation announcements since do not add up to the vigorous program of marine conservation catchup needed. And in the meantime, PIRSA are proposing to move tuna farms into close proximity of the Sir Joseph Banks Group of Islands  a Conservation Park!

It seems that wed have to agree with a well known tuna farmer who recently said to the media that Labor have done far more for aquaculture than the previous Liberal Government. Advancing aquaculture as a key industry for this state is important, but not at the cost of basic community rights, and certainly not at the cost of even the most basic marine conservation measures.

Tell the decision makers that our marine conservation laws are not strong enough, decision making on marine issues is not integrated or accountable, and that there must be no further delays in declaring a System of Marine Parks for SA. Write to the following c/- Parliament House, North Tce, Adelaide 5000.

The Hon Mike Rann, Premier

The Hon John Hill, Minister for Environment and Conservation

The Hon Jay Weatherill, Minister for Urban Development & Planning

The Hon Paul Holloway, Minister for Primary Industries

The Hon Iain Evans, Shadow Minister for Environment

The Hon Mike Ellliott MLC, Leader of the Australian Democrats

The Hon Bob Such, Deputy Speaker House of Assembly

The Hon Andrew Evans, MLC

The Hon Nick Xenophon, MLC

MEDIA RELEASE

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Will Premier Rann's climate change laws match the 'Governator's'?

Media Release, Wednesday 27 September 2006

A national summit on climate change in Sydney this week will place the nations climate change hopes on South Australia. The Rann Government is the first government in Australia to bring in climate change laws. Submissions to the Premier on SAs draft Climate Change Bill close this Friday.

We are the first state or territory to introduce laws of this kind, and they are sure to be used as a model for action elsewhere. If we can get this Bill right, it will make a big difference to the way Australia copes with the threat of climate change. What we dont want to see is a missed opportunity, said Julia Winefield, Campaigner with the Conservation Council of SA.

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17th Feb 2005Australians demand climate action as Kyoto dawn leaves us in the darkToday the Kyoto Protocol comes into effect in 128 countries world wide. But not in Australia. Despite overwhelming scientific proof that human activity is changing the worlds climate significantly, the Australian Federal Government refuses to ratify this historic treaty.

The Conservation Council of South Australia (CCSA) is calling for nominations for the Jill Hudson Award for Environmental Protection.

download discussion document

MEDIA RELEASE 1ST MAY 2009

SA's peak environmental body the Conservation Council of South Australia (CCSA), has today criticised BHP-Billiton after the release of the Environmental Impact Statement for its Olympic Dam expansion.  The special deals the company wants are unreasonable, unwarranted and will come at the expense of the natural environment.

Adelaide, Thursday 15 December 2005 The reappearance of binding targets on the global and Australian agenda sends a clear message to Premier Mike Rann in finalising his Greenhouse Strategy, Greenpeace and the Conservation Council of SA said today: climate change is so serious and urgent that the only way to address it is to adopt strong binding targets.

Victorian Premier Steve Bracks set the pace on climate change action in Australia yesterday, proposing legislated targets to increase the States use of clean, renewable energy. This announcement follows the decision in Montreal last weekend by members of the Kyoto Protocol to continue its binding tagets mechanism, although the Howard Government remains opposed.

MEDIA RELEASE

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MEDIA RELEASE 24 October 2009

The Conservation Council of South Australia, the state’s peak environmental body, has unveiled its policy blueprint ‘South Australia in a Changing Climate: A Blueprint for a Sustainable Future’.

MEDIA RELEASE 4TH JUNE 2009

The Conservation Council of South Australia (CCSA) is disappointed the environment is again at the bottom of the Rann Government’s priorities in the 2009 State Budget. While initiatives for transport infrastructure and renewable energy funding are welcomed, the vast bulk of this funding is coming from Commonwealth sources. Closer to home, the impact on SA’s natural environment looks bleak as across-the-board cuts will see jobs slashed and programs cut in the Department of Environment and Heritage.

Entering the market and purchasing water entitlements is the only way to return real water to the River Murray in time to avoid irreversible ecological decline.

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The Conservation Council of South Australia (CCSA) South Australias peak environment body representing over 55 member groups, is proud to announce the call for nominations for the annual Jill Hudson Award for Environmental Protection.

The Award recognises an outstanding contribution to environmental protection during 2008, by a member of the South Australian community.

The purpose of the Jill Hudson Award is to recognise the efforts of those who make a stand for the environment, said CCSA CEO Julie Pettett. download (95.98 KB) nomination form

The Conservation Council of South Australia (CCSA), SA's peak environmental body representing over 55 member groups, has today re-iterated its call for a consistent national approach to Container Deposit Legislation (CDL) modelled on the successful SA legislation.

The call came on the release of the Boomerang Alliances *report Container Deposits: The Common Sense Approach highlighting the efficacy, efficiency and practicality of the SA CDL system and its Australia-wide potential.

1 February 2005

ATTENTION: Political, Resource and Environment Reporters

Scientists Warnings Call for National Summit on Climate Change

The Conservation Council of South Australia, in conjunction with the Australian Conservation Foundation, has backed Premier Ranns call for an urgent national summit on Climate Change. This call comes as the worlds leading climate scientists get set to release the latest alarming research on the impact of climate change.

The Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change conference was announced last year by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to inform this years G8 discussions on climate change and is taking place just two weeks before the Kyoto Protocol will become international law on February 16th.

The conference will canvass some of the anticipated impacts of climate change and highlight the need for urgent national and global action.

CCSA and ACF welcome Premier Ranns leadership on this issue, and have called on other State Premiers and the Prime Minister to support a summit.

For South Australia the effects of Climate Change will be wide ranging. An altered climate will make our state hotter and drier with more extreme weather events. It will put our ecosystems, our rural communities, our lifestyle and our health at risk. said Catherine Way , Campaign Coordinator of CCSA.

Catastrophic bushfires, as we have experienced recently on Eyre Peninsula , are the types of events likely to become more frequent under a changing climate.

Warnings from the worlds leading scientists highlight the need for decisive action, said Erwin Jackson from ACF, Now is the time for John Howard to get behind Mike Rann, show national leadership and hold a national summit.

To tackle this enormous challenge we need to unlock the power of Australia s innovative spirit and drive new markets in energy efficiency and clean renewable energy. This is a global problem that deserves national attention from all political leaders, Jackson said.

Media Contact: Catherine Way (CCSA) 0411 028 930 or Erwin Jackson (ACF) O408 806 206

-2-

Note to Reporters:

Details about the Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change conference can be found at:

http://www.stabilisation2005.com/index.html

Some of the key results that will be presented at the conference include:

The Conservation Council of South Australia (CCSA), South Australias peak environmental body, today called for bipartisan action to address stormwater harvesting and aquifer storage and recharge (AS&R).

Adelaide has been slow to take up the opportunities offered by stormwater, despite studies conducted over 15 years ago [1] showing its capacity to meet a substantial proportion of our water needs, said CCSA Campaigner Jamnes Danenberg.

Environment CEO Departs

MEDIA RELEASE

The Conservation Council of South Australia, the states peak environment group, is calling on the State Government and the local member for Cheltenham, Minister Jay Weatherill, to co-operate with the Charles Sturt Council to ensure the open space of the former Cheltenham racecourse site is preserved for an innovative stormwater harvesting and aquifer recharge development.

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MEDIA RELEASE

As part of Cleanup Australia Day, local dive clubs will be working to clean up the undersea environment across South Australia.

This year, divers will strategically target a range of popular sites, both to clean them up and to check for potential problems. We are asking divers to focus their efforts around areas where rubbish is most likely to accumulate said Dr David Turner, from the Conservation Councils Reef Watch program. of rubbish around them, so logically that is where divers can be most effective. The nature of these structures means they are also likely to harbour exotic species, so while & divers are there, they will also be recording any evidence of problematic organisms using Reef Watchs Feral or In Peril monitoring protocol.

A new web-based report on the link between climate change and water scarcity in Australia has been launched today  the first day of National Water Week. The report makes it clear that Australia must act now on climate change in order to protect its precious water resources.A feature of the report is its breakdown of water impacts at a State-by-State and city-by-city level. This allows average Australians to find out how their city or State will be affected. According to the report, Australians will face many alarming future scenarios, should we fail to act on climate change. These include:

- An expected 11% reduction in annual rainfall and a 31% reduction in annual water yield for WAs Stirling Dam catchment by 2050; and

- Adelaide's drinking water to exceed safety levels set by the World Health Organisation two out of five days by 2050.

MEDIA RELEASE

The Conservation Council of South Australia, South Australias peak environmental body with over 50 member groups, collectively representing tens of thousands of South Australians, is closing the doors on the well-known and historic Conservation Centre at 120 Wakefield Street in the City, and moving to new premises in Franklin Street.

This is the end of an era for the Conservation Council, said CEO Ms Julie Pettett, however, it marks the beginning of a new period for CCSA in delivering positive environmental outcomes for South Australia.

Submissions on the Guide to the Basin Plan will be accepted by the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) up until 17 December. Submissions made by this date will inform the Draft Basin Plan which will be released in the first half of 2011. If submissions are received after 17 December they will inform drafting of the Final Basin Plan.

Conservation SA Guide to the Basin Plan response.

If you would like to discuss any issues we have raised in our submission please call our office on 08-8223-5155.

MEDIA RELEASE 3 March 2010

Minister for Environment and Conservation, the Honourable Jay Weatherill and the Conservation Council SA (Conservation SA) today launched the Green Hubs project at the Woodville Bowling Club.

The inaugural Plan was launched in March, 2004, it was updated in 2006 and the Government of South Australia has just completed its formal consultations on the development of the next Strategic Plan.

Conservation SA contributed in a number of ways, including; Providing our top five issues as conversation starters at community consultationsParticipating at (public and alliance/peak body) workshopsProviding a submission for the second round of SASP consultations (closed Wednesday 8 December 2010)

We are also anticipating that we will have further opportunities to discuss the next SASP before a final version is released. If you would like to discuss this with us further or want to provide us with your thoughts on the next SASP please email general@conservationsa.org.au

22 September 2006

STATE BUDGET

Cuts to Environment Budget compromise

SAs clean, green image

This Wednesday a temporary nuclear dump will greet our Upper House members on the steps of Parliament.

This temporary dump will be placed to urge the Upper House to pass anti-nuclear dump legislation. The legislation, which is debated on Wednesday, will help stop South Australia gaining a permanent nuclear dump.

While our nuclear dump is symbolic, the Bill before Parliament is not. It offers a clear choice, to support, or to help stop, real nuclear dumping said Simon Divecha, CEO of the Conservation Council of South Australia.

The Bill is responsible legislation, it will help us to find reliable solutions for nuclear waste storage instead of irresponsible disposal, concluded Mr Divecha.

On Wednesday the State Parliament chooses whether it supports environmental democracy, said David Noonan, campaigner for the Australian Conservation Foundation

The Parliament should choose to support South Australian peoples rights. Particularly Parliament should support the Kungka Tjuta campaign to have no more poison on their traditional lands. It can do this by passing the Bill, concluded Mr Noonan.

If South Australia gets this dump, the first wave of nuclear waste will arrive in 170 trucks, said Dr Jim Green, from the Campaign Against Nuclear Dumping.

130 of these trucks come straight from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation at Lucas Heights, Sydney, NSW. The proposed laws are fair and reasonable, they may help stop ongoing nuclear waste production concluded Dr Green.

For More InformationDr Jim Green, 08 8211 7604Mr David Noonan, Mobile 0408 821 058, Phone 08 8232 2566Mr Simon Divecha, Mobile 0417 879 439, Phone 08 8223 5155

MEDIA RELEASE

November 28th

Declare Marine Protected Areas NOW!

The Conservation Council of SA (CCSA) today welcomes the release of the blueprint for South Australian Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (SARSMPA) but calls for action under existing legislation.

The Minister for Environment and Heritage the Hon John Hill can immediately proclaim all nineteen proposed marine protected areas under the National Parks and Wildlife Act (1972), said Catherine Way , CCSA, Campaign Coordinator

It is not desirable to delay the proposed marine protected areas while developing new legislation prior to their roll out.

Protection should be implemented now and the areas can then be rolled into the new legislation.

With Australia facing unprecedented species loss both on land and in the oceans and with the implications of climate change we need to act now.

CCSA however highlights the Governments commitment to community nomination of marine reserves outside of the SARSMPA objectives, and the commitment to permanent high protection sanctuary zones.

These are two areas that conservation groups have been lobbying for, for many years, and a welcome inclusion to the blueprint. Ms Way stated.

The State Government announced the development of the SARSMPA in its Marine and Estuarine Strategy in 1999 and t he Australian Government is currently rolling out a national representative system of marine protected areas (NRSMPA) in Commonwealth waters. International scientific research supports developing marine reserves as the most effective way of arresting the decline of marine species and habitats, they provide safe havens that allow habitat regeneration, and provide our oceans with new generations of fish.

International calls are being made to all countries to accelerate MPA processes and arrest the alarming world-wide decline in fish and marine habitats, occurring in all oceans and climatic zones.

Contact: Simon Divecha 0417 879 439