Intertidal zones and human development

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re-tyred
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Intertidal zones and human development

Post by re-tyred » Fri May 11, 2018 1:24 pm

Well on many occasions on here I rant on about the reasons for less fish in the Lake System than there has been in the past. I often site loss of intertidal zones. An inter tidal zone is an area covered at high tide and exposed at low tide. In the Gippsland Lakes tides are somewhat less than 1mtr when the system is open to the sea. It has never closed since 1888 when the entrance rock wall were constructed.
So here is a series of pictures mostly less than 100 years old.
bullock island rock walls.jpg
Take a good look at Bullock island and the shallows that are now all rock walled and back filled.
skate park ramp area.jpg
This one is where the skate park ramp and fishing club is situated.
rigby before filling early 1900s.jpg
Take a look at Rigby island, a low swamp now some 2-3 meters with dredge spoil. Note the little island in the north arm. This sank mid 1900s.
club spit.jpg
This is club spit directly in front of what is now number 1 the Esplanade. It is now a tree covered pile of dredge spoil.
town and bullock island bridge.jpg
Another angle on bullock island.
kalimna jetty.jpg
this beach is now a rock wall and walking track track. It is a town beach

First thing I must say is this is not the fault of current management or Governments it is a history of poor environmental management through ignorance.
These areas provided zones for sandworm, pipis and soldier crabs all food of bream. This scenario is repeated throughout the lake system. Add the that the damming and diversion to Melbourne or irrigation of the Thomson and McAlister rivers. The complete deforestation of lowland areas of the catchment for farms and houses. All reducing the amount of fresh water and the quality of what does go in.
There are many other issues such as no predators for the cormorants, swans etc. Eggs and young bird would have been part of the original inhabitants diet. We now have very little sea grass even compared to when I was a kid in the 60s. This is destroyed by swans and boats.

So if you are inclined to want to change it, then start talking to people that have some say in it.
Intertidal zones can be built no problem. Couple of years ago there was some dredging done to rebuilt a couple of islands. There are many areas that have shallows that could be filled to be just covered at high tide. Creation of buffer zones along rivers and creeks in the catchment and creation of new swamp lands would also be a good thing.
The real problem is no one wants to do anything because it is a RAMSAR site. So instead of moving to improve it we will mostly likely see it slowly die.

So that is my Friday rant... :cheers:
There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats.
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows (River Rat to Mole)

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Re: Intertidal zones and human development

Post by Sinsemilla » Fri May 11, 2018 1:30 pm

Good read re-tyred! and happy friday!

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Re: Intertidal zones and human development

Post by Texas » Fri May 11, 2018 1:38 pm

Thanks re-tyred
Very informative
Cheers Gra

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Re: Intertidal zones and human development

Post by Lightningx » Fri May 11, 2018 1:39 pm

Top read mate with some nice pics!
Cheers :thumbsup:

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Re: Intertidal zones and human development

Post by re-tyred » Fri May 11, 2018 1:40 pm

Photos from Facebook History of Lakes Entrance
There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats.
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows (River Rat to Mole)

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Re: Intertidal zones and human development

Post by baitworms » Fri May 11, 2018 1:54 pm

The trouble is everybody is looking the other way.
And the State Government has given control back to the Tribes, and their against change.
" the land of our fore father" but its nothing like what it was 300 years ago.
They've claimed everything under the Land & Waters Corporation of the local tribe.
And at present they have granted us permission to fish in their waters.
But it could all change if they start pushing for a say in the Federal Parliament. just like Ayers Rock.
At present we're like the lakes going backwards.
But all this has been spoken about for years, the last save the lakes program was to build a inflow pipe up near loch sport and pump sea water in to reduce the algae, the wheels feel off that slowly.
I'm 71 and yet to see a dugout canoe or the local tribe fishing anywhere, the only thing they have done is stop me from fishing in a gem of a secret spot of mine, they dug up the track dropped tree's over narrow neck you could use to get in.
Now there's no hope of fire control, they just have to water bomb and wait on the main road for the fire to get there.

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