418 Dive Log Australasia JUNE 2026.pdf

The Reality on the Reef As divers, we are the eyes underwater, seeing the reality that the policy-makers do not. Under the farm itself, mussel reefs are forming on the sand at depths of 14 metres. Outside the farm perimeter, the mussels are currently colonising rocky reefs at depths of 1 to 5 metres — but in some places they are down to 8m depth. As the mussels continue to spread over time they risk impacting on both sponge and kelp garden habitats within the bay. The damage isn’t just environmental, local Jervis Bay boat owners are reporting mussel fouling on moorings and engine intakes in Callala Bay and Currumbene Creek, something they claim they never saw before the Perhaps the most bitter pill to swallow is the economic reality of this venture. Reports suggest the Jervis Bay Mussel farm has struggled to harvest mussels for human consumption due to effluent closures and barnacle infestations. The mussels are even said to have a bitter flavour due to local algae. Our understanding from management comments is that in the last year almost all mussels that have been marketed as Jervis Bay Mussels for human consumption, have actually been imported from Victorian mussel farms. So, what is our Marine Park being put at risk for? Not a thriving premium seafood industry, but — according to recent reports — pet food. The integrity of a pristine Marine Sanctuary Zone is being put at risk to produce additives for pet food. The Conflict of Interest This situation highlights a fundamental flaw in how our marine estates are managed. Currently, the DPIRD (the department of primary industries and regional development) acts as both the protector of the Marine Park and the proponent of the aquaculture within it. It is the definition of the fox guarding the henhouse. presence of the mussel farm. A High Price for Pet Food

In land-based National Parks, we do not allow commercial agriculture to displace native biodiversity. Why is the standard different for our oceans? For our Marine Parks to be more than just ‘paper parks’, management should sit within the department for the environment, not the department for primary industries. And our marine parks should be managed for protection of the existing biodiversity, not as a resource to be exploited at the expense of marine park ecosystem integrity. A Call to Action Jervis Bay is a crown jewel of the NSW coast. Its value lies in its healthy natural habitats, which drive tourism and support genuine biodiversity. The divers of Jervis Bay will continue to watch, photograph, and document changes in the Bay’s ecosystem. We hope that before it is too late to reverse the damage being done, the government will remember that a Marine Park first and foremost is supposed to be a sanctuary for native regional marine biodiversity, not a farm for a non-native invasive species. About the Author: Rod Sleath is a long-time SCUBA diver, a member of the Jervis Bay Divers Club, and a vocal advocate for marine conservation in the NSW South Coast region.

Mussel infestation leaves nowhere for healthy reef life forms to settle, displacing many other species.

Healthy reef ecosystem.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #418.June ‘ 26

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