News
Aussie dive club push for new artificial reef in Sydney
An ex-Australian Navy ship could be sunk off Coogee Beach in New South Wales to create an artificial reef to boost tourism under a proposal by the Gordon’s Bay Scuba Diving club.
The plan is to create Sydney’s first recreational dive wreck by sinking a decommissioned ship 4km off Coogee Beach.
Gordon’s Bay Scuba Diving club secretary John Rowe said the dive wreck would create a new marine habitat and boost the economy – without any negative impact on Coogee Beach.
“It creates an effective marine habitat on what was otherwise a soft-bottomed featureless environment,” he said.
The club’s dream ship is the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Sydney IV, due to be decommissioned on the 7th November.
More than 1200 people, including Coogee MP Bruce Notley Smith, have shown support for the project.
“I’ve done three wreck dives and loved every second of it,” Mr Rowe said.
“The relationship between you and the ship … is a magic secret treasure.
“It’s an extraordinary feeling you get when you go there.”
The club came up with the idea after seeing the former naval warship, the Ex-HMAS Adelaide, sunk off Avoca Beach in 2011.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries reports the site is already home to a healthy marine community of giant cuttlefish, blue groper, kingfish, yellowtail and octopus.
A location near Wedding Cake Island has been identified for the ship, 30 metres under water on a sandy ocean floor away from shipping channels or telecommunication cables.
“When a ship is decommissioned and sold for scrap it can get about $15 to $16 million,” Mr Rowe said. “If we convert it into a dive wreck you could see a return of somewhere between $80-$100 million over 20 years.”
Pro Dive Coogee manager Rod DeGroot said a Sydney dive wreck would boost the diving industry and local tourism.
“In Sydney we have got a lot of historical wrecks, but most are too deep for the average diver,” he said.
“There is limited dive sites that have real mass appeal – this could create a lot of interest in an area which wasn’t a diving location prior to that. And could attract people who have a real love for wrecks,” he said.
The Ex-HMAS Adelaide project at Avoca Beach ran into opposition from local groups who were concerned the ship would pollute the ocean, but an Administrative Appeals Tribunal concluded:
“The level of pollutants now aboard the ship is low, and those that remain are either in very low quantities or inert and unlikely to cause any environmental problem.”
The dive wreck would be accessed by boat from Botany Bay, Rose Bay or Malabar.
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
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Renowned anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has been released from custody in Greenland after spending five months in detention. Denmark’s Justice Ministry rejected Japan’s request for his extradition, citing insufficient guarantees that his time already served in custody would be credited against any potential sentence.
The 74-year-old Canadian-American was arrested on July 21 in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, when his ship docked to refuel. His arrest was based on a 2012 Japanese warrant related to a 2010 encounter in Antarctic waters. Japan alleged Watson obstructed operations and caused damage to a whaling research ship during efforts to disrupt illegal whaling. Watson has consistently denied these claims, maintaining his commitment to marine conservation.
Denmark, which oversees extradition matters for Greenland, concluded that while the legal conditions for extradition were met, the lack of assurances from Japan regarding time-served credit made extradition untenable.
In a video shared by his foundation, Watson expressed gratitude and relief, saying, “After five months, it’s good to be out… and good to know they’re not sending me to Japan.” He added that the most difficult part of his time in custody was being separated from his two young sons.
Watson is a pioneering figure in marine conservation, known for founding the Captain Paul Watson Foundation in 2022 after decades of activism with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. His bold efforts to defend marine life have earned him widespread support, including from celebrities and conservationists. His work has also been featured in the acclaimed reality TV series Whale Wars.
Watson’s lawyer, Jonas Christoffersen, praised the decision, stating, “We are happy and relieved that Paul Watson is now free.” He added that Watson is eager to reunite with his family and continue his vital work.
The arrest occurred while Watson’s vessel, the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, was en route to the North Pacific with a team of 26 volunteers to intercept a Japanese whaling ship. His foundation described the arrest as politically motivated and emphasized that Watson’s actions were focused on ending illegal whaling practices.
Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after leaving the International Whaling Commission, asserting that whale meat is a cultural tradition. Conservationists, however, continue to challenge these practices, highlighting their impact on marine ecosystems.
Despite the challenges, Watson remains steadfast in his mission to protect marine life and bring attention to whaling practices. His dedication to ocean conservation has made him a globally respected advocate for the environment.
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