MR Baltais

[PinHead]

from : http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,28318,25969533-5014090,00.html


"A PEAK wildlife body has blamed stormwater pollution for the deaths of three bottlenose dolphins in three days in southeast Queensland's Moreton Bay.
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday last week, an adult carcass washed up at Victoria Point, a small adult was found at Ormiston and a calf at the Port of Brisbane.
The cause of death in each case has been listed by authorities as "unknown, no obvious injuries".
Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland Simon Baltais says Moreton Bay (http://search.news.com.au/search//0/?us=ndmnews&sid=5014090&as=news&ac=travel&q=Moreton Bay)has had a recent outbreak of algae blooms.
While some people have pointed the finger at an oil and container spill that released 62 tonnes of fertiliser into the bay earlier this year, Mr Baltais says he believes the dolphin deaths are indicative of a much wider problem.
"There is a worry out there that things are going backwards. We are seeing mangroves die off, more seagrass damage, blue-green algal blooms and now we have dolphin deaths. Things aren't looking real good," Mr Baltais said.
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The cargo ship [U]Pacific Adventurer (http://www.news.com.au/hertzholidaydrives?from=storypage)spilled more than 200,000 litres of oil and lost 31 containers of ammonium nitrate overboard in the bay in March.
"If you look at modelling for the oil spill and those containers, most of it has diluted fairly quickly.
"I think what we are seeking are the symptoms of a bigger problem which is the degradation of Moreton Bay because of population growth."
He said the Government needed to invest in reducing stormwater runoff into the bay, which was worsening as the southeast population grew. "

wasn't it us rec fishos and the commercial blokes that were wrecking the Bay,,hence the need for green zones of which Mr Baltais was a staunch supporter. What have we been saying all along..exactly what Mr Baltais is saying now. Bloody pathetic.

[robersl]

Baltis looks like he is pushing for larger green zones watch out

[Stuart]

Not bad for a guy who originally said that the bays problems was due to over fishing. Yet the fisherman of the bay tried to tell those concerned that pollution and mangrove destruction was the main culprit. Has this guy ever been out in the bay or even held a fishing rod? He comes out with a statement that the dolphin’s died because of stormwater outflow, yet the scientists don’t know what killed them but he does. As the saying goes, don’t let the facts get in the way of a story.

Stu

[Tangles]

well a bit cynical,

but MB green zones arent up for review for a bit so Simon will keep up his Media profile with these little tidbits, so no doubt when the Zones are are again due for review no doubt Simon will lay the blame on fishos again to rev it all up,

[PADDLES]

yep, read this article yesterday pinhead and shook my head in disbelief. whilst your's and my views may differ on greenzones (i agree with some sort of green zones, but not the whole frikkin bay), i think we both agree on the runoff and development theory. it's a pity that the greener types out there, who should know way more about environmental issues than we do, hasn't figured this out yet and continue to target user groups (ie. us fishos and boaties) instead of the real issue which is pollution.

[Alchemy]

Didn't think you lot down there had had enough rain to get the storm water drains flowing for a while, plus I seem to recall the oil and fertilizer spill occurred offshore? Not doubting that a portion of it may have made its way into the bay. Just seems to me that these numbnuts are manipulating any scenario to get their way with our environment.

Dave.

[TheRealAndy]

If Mr Baltais wants to argue pollution, good on him. I agree its a big problem.

However, as previously stated in the media.
The deaths of the dolphins were unknown.
The algal blooms are a result of unseasonal weather.

I don’t know how else to say it other than Mr Baltais is a media whore. He only seems to want to get his name in the news media and is constantly contradicting himself.

[Sandman]

Are they researching further into the cause of the deaths like an autopsy?

Dont forget there has been a huge amount of activity going on around the bay such as the Brisbane air port , dredging etc then the oil spill , then washing off fertaliser in the bay.
How would an alge bloom affect the dolphins ? does anyone know ?

Something is very suss here and for once they cant blame the fisherman .