WOOLOOWARE Bay has been chosen as the location for a proposed man-made island, which it is hoped will overcome a critical lack of resting places in the area for migratory shorebirds.
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Sutherland Shire Council is considering the project because Spit Island, the last remaining habitat at Towra Point, has shrunk from 3.6 hectares to 1.6 hectares in the past 12 years.
Spit Island is a feeding and roosting area for waders and other wetlands birds, and a breeding site for little terns.
Birds from Siberia, northern China and Alaska escape the Arctic winter by flying south each year to spend about six months over spring and summer in Australia.
The group is concerned many birds won’t find a place to live in Botany Bay when they arrive back in August.
Phil Straw, a world authority on the subject and vice-chairman of the Australasian Wader Studies Group, said that during the 2014-15 summer, flocks of ‘‘homeless’’ shorebirds were seen flying around in search of somewhere to rest at high tide.
‘‘In desperation, some distressed birds landed on a boatshed and others roosted right in front of waterfront houses,’’ he said.
‘‘I’ve never seen anything like this in 55 years as a professional ornithologist. Most concerning is, while they are flying around, they are using up the fat reserves they need to fly back to the Arctic.
Resting areas have been disappearing, either eroded by the waves or overgrown with weeds.
"Spit Island is the last remaining resting place at Towra Point, but it is now rapidly disintegrating and there's not enough room for the shorebirds."
A council spokeswoman said permission for a man-made island would be required from Roads and Maritime Services and the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
"A review of environmental factors is being undertaken by council staff to determine the potential impacts of the proposal as a first step to seeking approval," she said.
The spokeswoman said the council had obligations under international treaties to protect habitats for migratory birds. She said migratory birds required safe areas in order to roost and gain enough weight to enable them to survive, breed and migrate to Siberia.
The deteriorating situation led to the Towra Point Nature Reserve being given a Grey Globe award at the 2012 World Wetland Network conference in Bucharest, which monitors sites protected under the Ramsar convention that are considered to be "under threat".
This Grey Globe is at the opposite end of the spectrum to the Blue Globe, given to sites in outstanding condition.
POLICY REMOVED
A special state government planning policy covering the Spit Island bird habitat is to be repealed.
The state government believes the same level of protection is now provided in the local environmental plans of Sutherland Shire Council and Rockdale Council, the latter of which has responsibility for a small portion of the reserve.
State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) 39 enables the management and protection of the Spit Island bird habitat reserve to be undertaken without the need for development consent within Sutherland and Rockdale council areas.
Planning Minister Rob Stokes said it was among 16 SEPPs proposed for repeal, with powers to be returned to local government.
‘‘Our initial review showed these policies were no longer needed,’’ he said.
Phil Straw, vice-chairman of the Australasian Wader Studies Group, welcomed the move and said it would make much-needed remedial action easier.
‘‘However, it does nothing to help migratory shorebirds in the short term,’’ he said.
Sutherland Shire Environment Centre chairwoman Jenni Gormley said she was concerned the removal of state government oversight might take away a layer of protection for the area.
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