Darwin Harbour in good health
Pack a rod on your next trip to Darwin. Local harbour is filled with fish!The health of the Darwin Harbour is on the up, with grades in the latest 2014 Report Card either improving or remaining steady compared with 2013.
Land Resource Management Minister Willem Westra van Holthe said the results for Darwin Middle Harbour are a standout.
"We’ve seen Darwin Middle Harbour move to an A which means the quality of the water is excellent," Minister Westra van Holthe said.
"This is a fantastic outcome and something the Country Liberals Government is very proud of.
The Darwin Harbour is vital to fishers, sailors, watersports and our tourism industries. The harbour has eight times the volume of Sydney Harbour. You could do worse than pack a rod next time you are in town.
"We’re working hard to ensure the catchment is healthy for many decades to come," Minister Westra van Holthe said.
Other key findings in the 2014 Darwin Harbour Report Card include:
>> Fish diversity remains high, with over 400 species recorded
>> Dolphin populations remain stable, with Australian Snubfin, Australian Humpback and Bottlenose Dolphins all calling the Darwin Harbour home
>> No marine pests were detected during the monitored period
>> Pathogen levels on public beaches remained within public health guidelines
The annual Report Card is a snapshot of water quality at a range of sites spanning the main body and arms of the Harbour, extending to Shoal Bay in the East.
Minister Westra van Holthe said the data is a collaborative effort from the Department of Land Resource Management, Power and Water Corporation and the aquaculture industry.
In total, more than 800 samples were taken from 133 sites during the collation of the 2014 Darwin Harbour Report Card," Minister Westra van Holthe said.
"There is still room for improvement in areas like Buffalo Creek but it’s positive to see even it moved up to a D from an E.
"The Darwin Harbour is a cultural, recreational and environmental asset and it is reassuring to see we’re all looking after the catchment so it’s sustainable long into the future," he said.
The full 2014 Darwin Harbour Report Card can be found at http://www.lrm.nt.gov.au/water/darwin-harbour/reportcards
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