Results from the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment's toxicity test on the surface water of 3 locations in the George River catchment in North East Tasmania in early 2005.
These locations were:Published in the Tasmanian Mercury newspaper, Sep 27, 04. Author: SIMON BEVILACQUA.
"Repeated requests for information about the testing program were stonewalled..."
"Veterinary pathologist David Obendorf blew the whistle in 2001 when he wrote to then primary industries minister David Llewellyn.In his letter, Dr Obendorf recommended regular and routine monitoring of PCB and dioxin levels in wild trout and sea-run salmon, salmonids from aquaculture and commercial marine fish and fishmeal. Mr Llewellyn responded in a letter on February 16, 2001: "For the last two years DPIWE has been conducting surveillance on PCB and other organochlorine levels in trout, eels and sediments in Tasmania as part of the national strategy for reduction of PCBs. "Preliminary results have so far shown extremely low levels of PCBs." Mr Llewellyn said Tasmania would take advice from national authorities on whether further monitoring was needed. "A residue testing program in cultured salmonids which, among other things, will monitor for organochlorines is expected to commence shortly," he wrote. Dr Obendorf wrote back asking for preliminary results. In April 2001 Mr Llewellyn responded: "The department has not as yet written up the final report on PCBs and other trace organics in fish, eels and sediments and this will not be completed for some time." Testing had been done for a range of organochlorines including PCBs, BHC, Heptachlor, DDD, DDE and DDT and contamination levels were low, he wrote. More than three years later the results of the testing have not been made public."
[A US study released in 2004 year found 10 times more PCBs in farmed salmon than the wild variety.]Brian Lay from the Tasmanian Oyster Grower's Association in Tasmania spoke on the Country Hour of Tuesday 13th September 2005. He mentioned that more oyster deaths and illness had been observed after the recent flooding of 8th September 05. Mr Lay mentioned in this interview that the oyster growers are still waiting for results of samples taken back in April 2005 from the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries Water and Environment (DPIWE). Mr Lay added that it was not acceptable that "4 or 5 months later we still have no idea of the results."
Later on 13th September 2005 (6:05pm) the ABC reported that a 'spokesperson' from DPIWE had advised that Mr Lay had been 'verbally advised' of the results of the sampling and that there was 'no rush' for the written results because they were 'insignificant'.