This submission closes 2 July 2024.
https://haveyoursay.nt.gov.au/fishing-jetty-dudley-point
This is quiet a significant call, and Plan’s first thought is perhaps a longer lead time for submissions is appropriate.
The submission points to the Northern Territory Recreation Fishing Development Plan 2023-33 which is a web only plan (I suspect DHA would have found this a better way to manage the continuously updating Construction Environmental Plans, but I digress).
To quote:
The comprehensive plan was developed in partnership with the Amateur Fishermen’s Association of the NT (AFANT), the NT Guided Fishing Industry Association (NTGFIA), the Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee (RFAC), as well as recreational fishers and stakeholders from around the Territory. Stakeholders were invited to have their say at each step of the innovative 12‑month planning process involving the input of hundreds of people and key organisations through interviews, workshops, and submissions. This process has delivered a genuinely grassroots plan ‘for fishers, by fishers’.
So, this call for submissions is probably as close as the community is going to get to the stakeholder group.
Deep in the plan I did find this gem:
Facilitate appropriate recreational fishing offsets for unavoidable impacts of the Middle Arm Precinct Development to recreational fishing resources and experiences.
In our experience environmental offsets are not exactly thick on the ground (or water?).
From the submission web page, it appears this has been on the books for a while. We also note that the East Point Reserve Advisory Committee are aware (maybe it is commercial in confidence?). The East Point Reserve Authority do not have feedback to community as part of their terms of reference as far as we can see. There is a possibility that positions on the committee will be available, perhaps an opportunity for a community organisation.
Under self-assessment (what?)
The assessment determined that the project is unlikely to trigger the requirement for referral to the NT EPA (under the Environment Protection Act 2019). The results of the self-assessment indicates that the risk of potential impacts on NT EPA factors and objectives is either unlikely or avoidable through mitigation measures.
Plan did open email communications with the proponents:
- Are there drawings of the proposal – No, at this stage the consultation is primarily focused on whether people support the location for a jetty. If the support is there, government will make a decision on proceeding to design.
- Where is the location- Dudley Point within East Point Reserve – up on the left hand side where the existing grassed area is and the Big Bus stops (map on the survey webpage)
- Who has tenure of the land – City of Darwin land but infrastructure will be managed by the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics
- Where is the desire to construct coming from – this stems from a broader Recreational Fishing Plan and funding, designed to provide more access to all community members for fishing
- What work has been done to establish the need – Recreational Plan (see web page) and AFANT also did a survey which indicated there was support for a fishing facility in the inner Darwin area
- How is it planned to manage day/night – In previous consultation some concerns were raised around the Atlas Moth (impacted by light) and vehicle access to the area. Opening times would be put in place to manage this. There has been an EIA and SIA completed for the project (around two years ago)
- How does the experience of the existing fishing jetty at Nightcliff, cost, and cost of upkeep? Nightcliff Jetty is a lightweight structure, with timber decking and is more exposed to the ocean waves, so has a reasonably high maintenance cost. The Dudley Point jetty is proposed to be constructed using steel encased concrete pylons, with a concrete deck. So far the only design that has been undertaken was a rough concept so we could model current and tide effects as well as sediment drop out during construction, we did two separate life cycle costings. If we move into a design phase a new life cycle costing will be done against the detailed design.
- What other methods of expanding land fishing been explored?
- A study of potential land based fishing platform locations was undertaken by DIPL on behalf of Fisheries in 2017, with results provided to the “Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee” (RFAC) the committee which was put together by NTG to ensure the $50m recreational fishing grant was spent appropriately.The report identified three locations, Cullen Bay, East Point and Dudley Point, of those, Cullen Bay was ruled out as not providing the best opportunity, due to parking constraints and the length of the walk required from the identified parking and the point of fishing, as well as the lack of structure on the seabed.
- East Point is open to the ocean waves and is close to the PWC sewer outfall, which both Health and PWC were not supportive of that site.
- As the intention of the jetty is to encourage youngsters to be outside and to explore fishing as a pastime in a safe environment, close to the residential areas, Dudley Point was nominated as the best potential location, with protection from the open sea and close to car parking and the residential area.
- There is a budget, provided by NTG to Fisheries in the form of funding for recreational fishing for Territorians, DIPL are managing the project on behalf of Fisheries.
The figure of $19.8m has been bandied about I am not sure the source. But having $50m to spend on your recreation is quite a nice place to be in.
There is a biodiversity master plan East_Point_Biodiversity_report_June_2024.pdf which does not have a fishing jetty in its scope. Shorebirds get a significant write up.