Ex HMAS Adelaide and Marine Parks

[CEO]

  Now Spiney, that's probably the reason why fishing is banned! And is it called another one of those "marine protected areas?" Protected from what? Only fishing because the fish would be unhealthy to eat?

[Spiney]

South Coast Fishers be warned, Jervis Bay Divers are lobbying for the next decommissioned ship and I understand the Navy has a few that need to be replaced. Don't think that you will be able to use it for fishing, there will be a fishing exclusion zone around the site. Remember JB is Commonwealth Territory, I understand it can be scuttled in a Marine Park but not in a Sanctuary Zone, work that out?

ABC News. April 12th 2011

Support is growing for a recently decommissioned Navy ship to be scuttled as a recreational dive site in Jervis Bay.
Federal member for Gilmore, Joanna Gash has made multiple requests in the past for the Navy to scuttle a ship in the area.
The ship wreck would be a popular attraction for recreational divers and fishermen.
Colin Miles from Dive Jervis Bay says Jervis Bay is an ideal location because of it's proximity for Sydney and Canberra divers.

[CEO]

And we hear already from our ECOfisher friends on the Central Coast, that a solitary Cuttlefish and a school of Yellow Tail have already taken up residence on the Adelaide. Won't be long before the Kingies, arrive we suspect.

[Spiney]

Reports last week that more than 80 pieces of debris washed up on Avoca Beach, one metal/honeycomb section 2 metres long. Local dive operator admitted it was more than likely from the HMAS Adelaide but said it was not a structural piece. All OK unless you are the one  to run into a 2 metre long piece of aluminium while surfing. The predictions were that the Oliver Perry Class Frigates are not suitable for artificial reefs as they are constructed from relatively light grade steel and aluminium and will break up in stormy conditions. Mooring and indicator buoys worth many thousands of dollars have also come adrift in 3 mtr swells, this may be of interest to the maintaining authority of the proposed artificial fishing reefs for Newcastle,Sydney and Wollongong. Incidentally who is going to fund the ongoing cost of maintaining  these reefs?

[Spiney]

The ex HMAS Canberra dive site in Victoria  has been closed to diving for safety concerns as the ship is breaking up. Not long before ex HMAS Adelaide will do the same. So once diving is banned will the NSW State Government allow fishing on the site? Of course it would be catch and release due to contamination issues.

Geelong Advertiser. 6th July
THE popular ex-HMAS Canberra dive site off Ocean Grove is closed to the public until further notice due to safety concerns after part of the ship broke loose.

Parks Victoria announced a temporary closure yesterday, saying a structural assessment revealed the helicopter hanger on the ship's port side had come loose.

"There was significant movement of heavy metal plates, leaving sharp edges and obstruction of access points," Parks' Marine Operations manager Vin Wright said.