MARINE WASTE - HUGE PROBLEM IN ARNEHM LAND

Hi

Since arriving at Croker Island in September 2020, a number of my posts have talked about the marine litter that washes up onto the beaches here - from very small plastic items to huge sections of ghost net. This is not a problem confined to Croker Island. When I first came here I was shocked by how this problem had grown, after having spent some years in central Australia. 

Today, finally one of the major media organisations have pickup this story. The link below relates to north east Arnhem Land - an area Nancy and I have lived and worked in for many years. 

In the article a number of Yolngu people are mentioned. One of them - Djawa Timmy Burarrwanga I know, and he is passionate and very active in caring for his country. 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-23/plastic-waste-growing-on-arnhem-land-beaches-indigenous-rangers/101254974

Apart from some individuals and small groups with limited resources not a lot is being done about this huge and growing issue. For government and industry, it seems to be largely just 'tinker around the edges'.  

In my post from 15 May this year I talked about a large ghost net found near McClure Island. We have tried to pull it off the reef with our ranger vessel, without success. The commonwealth government were going to send one of their Navy or Boarder Force vessels to remove it however they recently advised us that this will not be happening now. 

Later this year, when we will experience very low tides during daylight hours, Garngi Rangers plan to return to McClure Island, walk out onto the reef at low tide, cut the net free and then tow it away in pieces on the next high tide and deposit it onto a beach (that does not have a reef protecting it) for disposal. 

This will be hot, heavy but necessary work. This particular ghost net (like many) has at least the remains of one turtle in it. 

Just one pile of marine litter Garngi Rangers picked up last year. It is a constant job!

This is half of one ghost net we disposed of last year. Pulling this piece of net with our 250hp ranger boat  was slow going. A net this size is a huge dead weight in the water. 

Even small pieces of net cause trouble for marine life - below a small turtle caught in this quite small piece of ghost net. Turtles need to surface every few minutes to breath. Sadly for this young turtle the ghost net won this encounter.

The weather here has been delightful lately while many in southern Australia are cold and wet. It is not often that I get to talk about the delightful weather here. In a couple of months we will be back into the hot and humid weather so I am making the most of sleeping without an air conditioner running at night. 

Unfortunately this last week the home brewers were very active in Minjilang as there have not been any police based here for many weeks. It is still an offence to possess or consume alcohol in Minjilang. The home brewing resulted in much noise in the wee hours of the night and therefore a lot of sleep deprived people - myself included. Closing the windows and running the air conditioner in the hotter months does masks much of this noise.

Take care and blessings to you

Bryan and Nancy