{"id":331996,"date":"2024-06-07T09:29:03","date_gmt":"2024-06-07T07:29:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=331996"},"modified":"2024-06-07T09:29:06","modified_gmt":"2024-06-07T07:29:06","slug":"more-agriculture-supersized-fish-best-dive-site-the-yongala","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=331996","title":{"rendered":"More Agriculture, Supersized Fish, Best Dive Site \u2013 The Yongala"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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From Jennifer Marohasy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0By\u00a0jennifer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Misinformation abounds when it comes to the environment \u2013 and what makes it tick, especially at the Great Barrier Reef.   There is this mantra, this insisting from some that there is no <\/em>impact from agriculture \u2013 while there is this mantra, this insisting from the mainstream institutions and most recently a Peta campaign<\/a> that agriculture is killing the same Great Barrier Reef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never have I heard anyone mention in the same breath the fishes of the Yongala historic shipwreck and its proximity to the \u2018highest exposure levels\u2019 of nutrients and sediments attributed to agricultural runoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the most recent \u2018Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report\u2019 (2019) there is a focus on the Burdekin River, and how the coral reefs in this region to the south of Townsville are suffering terribly because of agricultural runoff with specific mention of Stanley and Darley Reef.   Even closer to the mouth of the Burdekin River, in fact in the direct path of river flood plumes, is the Yongala \u2013 regularly listed as one of the best dive sites in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Google map showing location of the SS Yongala wreck and below that part of page 53 from the Outlook Report showing the same region inundated by a flood plume.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

According to information at the AquaProDive website, the wreck of the SS Yongala is considered one of the best wreck dives in the world and arguably a must-see dive if coming to Australia. The same website<\/a> explains that the wreck is in a remote location, which is just not<\/em> true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Yongala Shipwreck is a 110m long former steel passenger and freight steamer which sank during a cyclone on March 23rd, 1911, with the loss of all 122 people aboard. It was not until 1958 that the wreck was first dived and due to its remote location, it has remained mostly untouched. The wreck begins 15m below the surface and extends down to 30m. Since it is the only large reef structure in the region, a huge variety of marine life gathers at the wreck creating Australia\u2019s best dive site. She lies on her Starboard (left) side.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The Yongala sunk not far from the mainland, and not far from the mouth of the Burdekin River that drains a catchment replete with sugarcane and beef cattle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is arguably one of the ten best dive sites in the world, known not for its reliably good visibility but rather its super-sized marine life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The wreck of the S.S. Yongala is a truly spectacular dive. Some claim it to be one of the top ten dives in the world. The Yongala\u2019s size, structural integrity and proximity to Townsville alone make it exceptional locally, but it is unique because of the fish community that makes the Yongala its home base. The sheer abundance, variety and large size of predators (especially snappers, cods and trevallies) is extraordinary on the Great Barrier Reef. I have seen nothing like it elsewhere \u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I am quoting from the foreword of a technical report by the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage.   The joint study measured the uniqueness of the Yongala fish community by comparison to similar shoals in the area. It also documents the stability of fish numbers and composition over a significant period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve never seen such a large turtle.  I knew Queensland groupers were large, but seriously, at the Yongala.     M\u0101ori wrasse they are big fish, and the M\u0101ori wrasse I saw at the Yongala a month ago today was longer and stockier than me, though that blog post was mostly about the giant stingrays<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not advocated for more agricultural runoff.  I\u2019m not in favour of more nutrients and sediment into the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.  But I am drawing attention to the paradox that is the SS Yongala wreck: an unusually high concentration of fish both exceptionally large and such species diversity, all in very close proximity to a catchment with so much Queensland agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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